By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Government on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with an international consortium comprising Belstar and NKA for the rehabilitation and expansion of potable water supply systems across the state.

Speaking during the signing ceremony at Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the collaboration aims to address critical water infrastructure challenges and improve access to safe drinking water for underserved communities.

Wahab explained that the project would involve the construction, rehabilitation, and installation of water treatment facilities, as well as the expansion of distribution networks. “The project will establish new waterworks to ease distribution challenges. The state will ensure compliance with all relevant regulations, including social and safety standards,” he stated.

He noted that the project is divided into two parts: the Brownfield phase, which covers the rehabilitation of existing waterworks, and the Greenfield phase, which focuses on the construction of new facilities in various locations across the state.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of Lagos Water Corporation (LWC), Engr. Mukhtaar Tijani, emphasized the corporation’s commitment to collaborating with the international consortium by providing development support, technical input, and stakeholder coordination.

“The projects will not only supply potable water to underserved communities but will also contribute to the eradication of water-related diseases in the state,” Tijani said.

In his remarks, the Group Managing Director of Belstar Capital, Mr. Tewodros Polk, pledged the consortium’s commitment to leveraging its technical expertise to ensure long-term productivity and efficient service delivery.

Polk also revealed that local subcontractors would be engaged in the project to promote capacity building and sustainable development throughout its various phases.

“The project will be executed under an engineering, procurement, construction, and finance (EPCF) model, insured by the US-International Development Finance Corporation. It is expected to be completed within 36 months,” Polk added.