Localizing the Human Right to Water in Lagos State, Nigeria

Abstract

Nigeria’s water sector is characterised by abysmal network coverage despite significant naturalwater resources potential. Most of the water sector reforms across the country encourage private sector participation in service delivery, to improve quality and efficiency. Early attempts atwater privatization in Lagos State, a pioneer for water sector reforms in Nigeria, have met withstiff opposition from local water justice advocates, mostly on human rights grounds. Similaropposition has followed water reforms and privatization efforts in other parts of the countryas well. Hence, this paper uses Lagos State as a case study to examine the prospects for thelocalisation of the human right to water within the context of private sector participationin the water sector. The findings suggest that: (a) private sector participation solely cannotaccount for the failure to localize the human right to water and the legal framework regulating the water sector plays an important role in determining the outcome; (b) the extant watersector law in Lagos State entrenches various forms of inequality in water access for personaland domestic uses; and (c) there is need for further legal reforms to elevate access to safedrinking water services beyond the contractual obligation on consumers to pay for services toa human right.