The Ogun State Government has dismissed claims that the French Development Agency, AFD, funded Ogun Urban Water Supply Project failed to deliver on its objectives, insisting that the persistent disruption of pipe borne water supply in parts of Abeokuta was caused by damage to water distribution pipelines during road construction and urban renewal projects carried out by the immediate past administration.
The clarification was contained in a statement issued on Friday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals and Water Resources, Hon. Damilola Otubanjo, in response to a BusinessDay report titled, “Despite N13bn Investments, Pipe Borne Water Still Luxury in Ogun Capital,” published on July 3, 2026.
Otubanjo acknowledged that some residents of Abeokuta still experience irregular water supply but said the report failed to present the full picture of the implementation and achievements of the AFD funded intervention.
He said, “While we acknowledge that some residents still experience intermittent water supply, it is important to state that the challenges are largely the result of damage to water distribution pipelines during extensive road construction and urban renewal projects executed by the previous administration, and not because the AFD funded project failed.”
According to him, the Ogun Urban Water Supply Project remains the only AFD supported water infrastructure project executed in the state. The project, implemented between March 2015 and December 2023 under a 33.75 million dollar facility channelled through the Federal Government, substantially upgraded the state’s water infrastructure.
He explained that the intervention involved the rehabilitation and expansion of the Abeokuta Water Treatment Plant, construction of a 14.5 million litre ground reservoir at Oke Temidire, installation of transmission pipelines, expansion of the water distribution network and the procurement of 6,000 water meters.
Otubanjo stated that the project increased the treatment capacity of the Abeokuta Water Scheme from 25 million litres per day to 82 million litres per day, with plans for an eventual expansion to 162 million litres per day.
He added that more than 250 kilometres of distribution pipelines were laid, while over 5,000 new customer connections were provided across major parts of Abeokuta.
“The rehabilitation of the barrage gates improved water supply reliability by about 85 per cent, reduced leakages and enhanced operational efficiency. Institutional reforms introduced under the project also reduced system downtime and improved our response to customer complaints from about five days to just 24 hours,” he said.
The government disclosed that the Ogun State Water Corporation currently serves more than 13,000 customers across the state, with over 7,000 of them connected through the AFD funded network in Abeokuta. It added that public water schemes are also functional in Ago Iwoye, Sagamu and Ilaro.
Otubanjo maintained that communities in Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South affected by disrupted water supply are gradually being reconnected as damaged transmission pipelines are replaced.
He noted that areas such as Lakesin had already been restored to the network through the newly completed Temidire reservoir.
Giving an update on ongoing interventions, the government said that since January 2025, the Water Corporation had repaired more than 800 pipeline leaks and bursts, installed over 1,200 additional water meters, provided more than 3,600 new customer connections, revived dormant water schemes in several communities and introduced a WhatsApp based customer complaint resolution platform.
According to the statement, these measures have improved water quality compliance, reduced illegal connections and enhanced customer satisfaction.
The government also clarified that the N450 million appropriated in the 2024 budget of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources for the desilting of the Arakanga Water Reservoir is a separate Federal Government project and has no connection with the AFD funded Ogun Urban Water Supply Project.
“The funds for the desilting project are yet to be released and the project has not commenced. We will continue to engage the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and the Ogun Osun River Basin Development Authority to facilitate its implementation,” Otubanjo said.
He reaffirmed the state’s commitment to improving access to potable water, insisting that the AFD funded Ogun Urban Water Supply Project was fully completed and had delivered measurable improvements in water production, transmission, distribution, metering and institutional capacity.
“The current supply disruptions are temporary consequences of damaged pipelines and not evidence of project failure. We remain committed to restoring normal water supply and expanding access to safe and potable water for all residents of Ogun State,” he added.
