Ogun Defends $33.75m Water Project Amid Supply Disruptions
The Ogun State Water Corporation (OGSWC) has defended the $33.75 million French Development Agency (AFD)-funded Ogun Urban Water Supply Project, insisting that the scheme achieved its objectives despite persistent pipe-borne water supply disruptions in parts of Abeokuta.
The Corporation said the current water supply challenges are largely the result of pipelines damaged during road construction and urban renewal projects carried out by the previous administration, and not a failure of the AFD-funded intervention.
The clarification was contained in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and Water Resources, Hon. Damilola Otubanjo, in response to a BusinessDay report titled “Despite N13bn Investments, Pipe-Borne Water Still Luxury in Ogun Capital,” published on July 3, 2026.
While acknowledging that some residents still experience irregular water supply, the Corporation maintained that the report did not fully reflect the impact of the water project.
According to the statement, the Ogun Urban Water Supply Project, implemented between March 2015 and December 2023 under a $33.75 million facility channelled through the Federal Government, significantly transformed the state’s water infrastructure.
The project, it said, involved the rehabilitation and expansion of the Abeokuta Water Treatment Plant, construction of a 14.5-million-litre ground reservoir at Oke-Temidire, installation of transmission pipelines, expansion of the water distribution network and procurement of 6,000 water meters.
The Corporation disclosed that the project increased the treatment capacity of the Abeokuta Water Scheme from 25 million litres per day (MLD) to 82 MLD, with plans for an eventual expansion to 162 MLD.
It also delivered more than 250 kilometres of distribution pipelines and over 5,000 new customer connections across major parts of Abeokuta.
According to OGSWC, rehabilitation of the barrage gates improved water supply reliability by 85 per cent, reduced leakages and enhanced operational efficiency, while reforms introduced under the project shortened customer complaint response time from five days to just 24 hours.
The Corporation said it currently serves more than 13,000 customers across Ogun State, including over 7,000 connected through the AFD-funded network in Abeokuta.
It maintained that water supply disruptions affecting parts of Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South were largely caused by damage to distribution pipelines during previous road construction and urban renewal projects.
The Corporation said it has continued reconnecting affected communities as new transmission mains are installed, noting that areas such as Lakesin have already been restored to the network through the newly completed Temidire reservoir.
Highlighting recent interventions, OGSWC disclosed that since January 2025 it has repaired more than 800 pipeline leaks and bursts, installed over 1,200 additional water meters, provided more than 3,600 new customer connections, revived dormant water schemes in several communities and introduced a WhatsApp-based customer complaint platform to improve service delivery.
It also clarified that the N450 million provided in the 2024 Federal Ministry of Water Resources budget for desilting the Arakanga Water Reservoir is a separate Federal Government intervention unrelated to the AFD-funded Ogun Urban Water Supply Project.
The Corporation said the funds are yet to be released and assured residents that it would continue engaging the relevant authorities to facilitate the project.
Reaffirming its commitment to expanding access to potable water, OGSWC insisted that the AFD-funded project was fully completed and delivered measurable improvements in water production, transmission, distribution, metering and institutional capacity.
It stressed that the current supply disruptions are temporary consequences of damaged pipelines rather than evidence of project failure.
Follow us for more news updates…
Author
