Lagos Pure Water Producers Deny Strike, Blame Three-Day Sanitation Exercise

Lagos sachet water producers have denied reports of an industry-wide strike, saying a three-day sanitation exercise is behind the temporary shutdown of factories in selected areas. The Lagos State Chairperson of the Association of Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP), Omolabake Mosaku, said sachet water remains available and urged residents not to panic over fears of scarcity.

Mosaku, who spoke in a phone interview with The PUNCH, explained that the exercise covers factory cleaning, laboratory testing and inspections to ensure compliance with NAFDAC and Lagos State water regulations.

Who Is Affected

The temporary suspension affects only producers in specific clusters. According to Mosaku, sachet water producers in Agege, Alimosho, Egbeda, Ifako-Ijaiye, AIT, Alagbado and Iyana Ipaja agreed to pause production to clean their facilities and inspect their operations. Factories outside those areas continued operations, and distributors still had supplies available.

"We are not on strike. We are carrying out an exercise to make sure Lagosians are sure of whatever they are taking. Safety first in whatever we do," she said.

What the Exercise Involves

The three-day exercise includes sanitation, laboratory testing and checks to confirm that production processes meet required standards before factories resume operations. Mosaku said maintaining hygienic production environments is essential to protecting consumers from contaminated water.

The inspections cover NAFDAC registration numbers, certificate validity and compliance with relevant production guidelines. Mosaku added that the association regularly encourages members to test their products and keep their facilities clean.

Part of the exercise is ATWAP's "know your neighbour" initiative, which involves checking nearby factories to determine whether they comply with the requirements of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission. She warned that some operators may produce sachet water under unhygienic conditions or engage in practices that could compromise water quality.

Mosaku said the association deliberately avoided announcing the exercise beforehand to prevent unregistered operators from shutting down their facilities and escaping inspection. The exercise also gives ATWAP room to educate non-compliant producers on the required standards and ensure they fix identified problems before restarting production.

She apologised for any inconvenience the temporary suspension might cause residents but maintained that consumer safety remains the association's priority.

How Long It Will Last

Mosaku said the exercise is expected to last three days, although completion depends on executives confirming that inspections have covered the affected areas and that producers have met the necessary requirements.

ATWAP Lagos said it regularly visits production facilities to discourage unsafe practices and prevent substandard products from reaching consumers. The association insists the exercise is a quality-control measure, not an industrial action, and urged residents to remain calm.

In Kano, table water producers announced a price increase, citing rising production and operational costs. The Association of Table Water Producers said a bag previously sold for N220 will now cost at least N300, blaming higher prices of packaging materials, fuel and unstable electricity supply.