Adeyinka Adeniji 
Reaffirming its commitment to quality, safety, and global standards in water service delivery, the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) has obtained international certifications — ISO 9001 and ISO 17025 — establishing itself as Nigeria’s leading water resources regulator.
This was announced by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during the ongoing Ministerial Press Briefing organized by the Ministry of Information and Strategy at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Center, Alausa Secretariat.
With these certifications, LASWARCO becomes the first water regulatory commission in Nigeria to attain such international standards.
In a statement on Friday, Wahab noted that the milestone reflects LASWARCO’s commitment to quality and safety management, ensuring that water provision and service delivery meet global standards.
Reaffirming the government’s dedication to managing the state’s water resources efficiently and sustainably, Wahab highlighted that LASWARCO has made significant strides in improving water regulation and service delivery.
He emphasized that the Commission has developed key regulatory tools, including licensing guidelines, performance-based contracts, and water quality regulations, to enhance oversight and transparency.
Additionally, Wahab disclosed that LASWARCO introduced a mobile application for real-time registration and monitoring of packaged water producers, increasing compliance among industrial and commercial abstractors from 10% to 55%.
On waste management, Wahab revealed that the Lagos State Government is transitioning from a linear “collect and dump” system to a sustainable circular economy.
Several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) have been signed to develop waste-to-resource opportunities, improve waste collection and recycling, and establish a smelting plant for electronic waste conversion.
He added that the State Government recently signed an MOU with the Dutch firm, Harvest Waste Consortium, for the construction of a high-efficiency 60-80 MW Waste-to-Energy plant at the Epe landfill, aimed at generating clean energy from municipal solid waste.
To maintain a clean Lagos, Wahab announced the daily deployment of 15,000 street sweepers across highways, inner roads, and markets, along with strict enforcement of environmental laws against indiscriminate waste disposal.
The state is also constructing modern public toilets in markets, transport hubs, and informal settlements to improve access to sanitation and hygiene.
The Commissioner emphasized that these initiatives demonstrate the government’s commitment to enhancing the quality of life for Lagosians, through efficient water resource management, environmental cleanliness, and sustainable waste management practices.
