The Lagos State Government has moved to correct social media reports suggesting that it had introduced a fresh levy on private boreholes, stating that the exercise under way is an enforcement of long-standing rules on borehole drilling and groundwater abstraction.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab issued the clarification in a statement published on the state government's official Facebook page on Saturday. He said the compliance drive had been wrongly labelled a “new borehole tax” online.
Wahab explained that the regulatory framework is anchored in Section 312(1) XVII of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law (EMPL) 2017. That provision empowers the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) to check indiscriminate borehole drilling across the state.
The commissioner said the current exercise is not a newly introduced policy but an enforcement of existing permit requirements by the agency responsible for regulating groundwater resources in Lagos.
“The characterisation of regulatory compliance measures as a newly introduced 'borehole tax' is inaccurate and does not reflect the policy being implemented,” Wahab said.
According to the commissioner, groundwater regulation is an internationally recognised practice designed to protect underground water resources, prevent contamination, mitigate land subsidence and ensure long-term water security. LASWARCO has intensified efforts to ensure compliance with existing permit requirements as part of the state's broader approach to managing groundwater resources.
Wahab acknowledged the difficulties residents face in accessing potable water but maintained that the state government remains committed to investing in water infrastructure to expand public water supply across Lagos. He urged residents to rely on verified information from official government channels, adding that the government remains committed to transparency, environmental sustainability and improved service delivery.
The clarification followed an earlier warning by LASWARCO that it would seal illegal boreholes and prosecute operators extracting groundwater without the required permits. In a statement issued by its Executive Secretary, Barr. Oluwabukola Khadijah Adeyemo, the commission directed prospective borehole drillers and groundwater abstractors to obtain the necessary permits before commencing operations.
