Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has urged for sustained private and philanthropic funding to tackle the inadequate water infrastructure during a side event at a United Nations climate change conference in Dubai.
Sanwo-Olu highlighted that, despite having over 22 million residents, Lagos only receives 210 million gallons of its daily requirement of 700 million gallons of potable water.
He emphasized the urgency of addressing this gap to avoid risks to public health, especially in underserved communities.
The governor called for less than 1% of the global $1.7 trillion clean water investment gap to be allocated to Lagos, expressing confidence that such collaboration could yield sustainable solutions for millions in need of adequate water.
Sanwo-Olu also emphasized the impact of irregular electricity on capacity utilization and advocated for equitable distribution of climate financing to cities like Lagos, with a focus on addressing the needs of large youth populations.
The governor’s remarks took place at the Valuing Water roundtable during the COP28 climate talks, where various stakeholders emphasized the importance of increased investments in global clean water projects.
