Lagos denies new borehole tax, says it is enforcing existing water rules

The Lagos State Government has denied introducing a new tax on private boreholes. It said the ongoing exercise is enforcement of existing regulations on borehole drilling and groundwater extraction across the state.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab made the clarification in a statement on the Lagos State Government’s official Facebook page on Saturday. The government was reacting to social media posts and commentaries describing the exercise as a new borehole tax.

Existing law, not new policy

Wahab said borehole regulation is backed by Section 312 (1) XVII of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law (EMPL) 2017. The law empowers the Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) to regulate indiscriminate borehole drilling in the state.

He said the current exercise is not a newly introduced policy. It is enforcement of existing permit requirements by the agency responsible for regulating groundwater resources in Lagos.

“Lagos State Government has refuted viral social media posts and commentaries about the introduction of a ‘new borehole tax’ in the state,” the statement said in part. Wahab also said: “The characterisation of regulatory compliance measures as a newly introduced ‘borehole tax’ is inaccurate and does not reflect the policy being implemented.”

According to the commissioner, groundwater regulation is an internationally recognised practice. It is designed to protect underground water resources, prevent contamination, mitigate land subsidence and ensure long-term water security. He said LASWARCO has intensified efforts to ensure compliance with existing permit requirements as part of the state’s broader approach to managing groundwater resources.

Water access and enforcement

Wahab acknowledged the challenges residents face in accessing potable water. He 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.

The clarification comes after LASWARCO warned 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 across the state.

Adeyemo said the commission had observed with grave concern the indiscriminate drilling of boreholes and groundwater extraction without the requisite permits and approvals. She warned that the agency would not hesitate to seal facilities operating in violation of the regulations and prosecute offenders. The commission identified groundwater contamination, land subsidence and threats to the long-term water security of Lagos residents as risks associated with uncontrolled borehole drilling.

LASWARCO said it is statutorily empowered under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017 to regulate borehole drilling, groundwater abstraction and water supply services across the state.

Earlier warnings

Lagos began regulating access to underground water in August 2022. The initiative was designed to strengthen oversight of borehole drilling, groundwater abstraction, consumption, supply and distribution to ensure sustainable management of water resources.

In August 2025, the state government warned that residents drilling boreholes in the Lekki axis could be exposed to contaminated water. Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary in the Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, gave the warning during a stakeholders’ meeting. Adegbite said contaminated boreholes in Lekki posed health risks to residents. He added that proper wastewater treatment in the area could help prevent diseases associated with untreated waste.

For businesses and households that rely on boreholes, the message is clear: the state is not presenting a new levy, but operators without permits face closure and prosecution under existing rules.