The Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has urged the Lagos State Government to suspend its ongoing mini and micro waterworks Public-Private Partnership (PPP) procurement, citing concerns over transparency and compliance with statutory disclosure requirements.
In a statement issued on Sunday, the civil society organisation said the procurement process being undertaken by the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) under a Build-Finance-Operate-Transfer (BFOT) model has not adhered to the Lagos State PPP Disclosure Framework (2024).
According to CAPPA, the LWC in September last year invited private firms to submit proposals for the rehabilitation, upgrade, operation and maintenance of several public water facilities across the state. The affected facilities reportedly include Lekki and Akilo Waterworks, Victoria Island Annex and Magodo Waterworks, Abesan and Alexander Waterworks, as well as Apapa Waterworks.
The organisation maintained that the state’s PPP Disclosure Framework mandates proactive publication of key documents at every stage of PPP projects. These, it said, include feasibility studies, Requests for Proposals (RFPs), bidder lists, evaluation criteria, contract summaries, fiscal risk assessments and procurement milestones.
CAPPA noted that such disclosures are required to be published on a public portal managed by the Office of Public-Private Partnerships (OPPP), the statutory body responsible for ensuring transparency across PPP projects in the state.
However, the group said that since the commencement of the mini and micro waterworks procurement, none of the required documents has been made publicly available. It added that details such as bidder identities, evaluation criteria, procurement timelines and award decisions remain undisclosed.
The organisation further expressed concern that information about the procurement had surfaced through a foreign industry publication, Global Water Intelligence, which reportedly stated that the LWC received 19 proposals by October 2025 and expected to conclude awards by March 2026 for a 10-year deal.
CAPPA described the situation as troubling, noting that residents and affected communities should not have to rely on a paywalled foreign publication for information regarding decisions affecting public water and sanitation infrastructure.
The group also stated that it had learned of a parallel process to concession wastewater infrastructure, beginning with wastewater treatment plants, including facilities in Lekki.
According to CAPPA, the alleged lack of disclosure raises concerns about accountability, affordability and long-term public control of water services in Lagos State. It warned that PPP water arrangements in other jurisdictions have sometimes been associated with tariff increases, reduced public oversight and fiscal risks.
The organisation called on the Lagos State Government to immediately suspend the procurement process until full compliance with statutory disclosure obligations is achieved. It also demanded the prompt publication of all outstanding procurement documents, including feasibility studies, RFP documentation, bidder identities and evaluation criteria.
In addition, CAPPA urged independent oversight of the process and meaningful public engagement in decisions concerning water governance and infrastructure management in the state.
It emphasised that transparency obligations in water governance are statutory and said adherence to the law is essential for the legitimate management of public resources.
CAPPA also advocated for strengthened public investment in water infrastructure, arguing that publicly financed and democratically governed systems remain the most equitable and accountable model.
The organisation concluded by urging residents, civil society groups, labour unions and other stakeholders to closely monitor developments in the state’s water governance process and to demand transparency and accountability.
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