Lagos to seal boreholes without permits and prosecute operators
- LASWARCO says drillers and groundwater extractors must get permits before starting work in Lagos.
- The commission warns that illegal boreholes risk contaminating water, causing land subsidence and harming supply.
- Residents are asked to report illegal drilling on a hotline or at the LASWARCO office in Alausa.
Lagos State has warned that it will seal boreholes drilled without approval and take operators to court, as it moves to tighten control over how groundwater is extracted across the state.
The Lagos State Water Regulatory Commission (LASWARCO) issued the warning in a statement, with its Executive Secretary, Oluwabukola Khadijah Adeyemo, saying anyone planning to drill a borehole or draw groundwater must get the required permits first.
The commission said it had noticed with concern the unauthorised and indiscriminate drilling of boreholes and extraction of groundwater without permits or approvals.
“Drilling or abstracting groundwater without LASWARCO authorisation is illegal and punishable under the Law,” Adeyemo said.
She said the commission would not hesitate to seal any facility found operating in breach of the rules and to prosecute those responsible.
Why it matters for residents
Many Lagos homes, estates and small businesses depend on boreholes because piped water does not reach everywhere. LASWARCO says unregulated drilling can put that same water at risk.
The commission warned that poorly controlled extraction could contaminate groundwater, cause land subsidence and threaten the long-term water security of millions of residents.
It said it is empowered to regulate borehole drilling, groundwater extraction and water supply services under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, 2017.
The warning follows earlier concerns about water quality in Lekki. In August 2025, Mahmood Adegbite, Permanent Secretary in the Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, said residents drilling boreholes in the area could be exposed to contaminated water because of poor wastewater treatment.
Lagos began regulating access to underground water in August 2022, saying the move was needed to prevent pollution and manage the resource sustainably.
What happens next
LASWARCO is asking residents, community leaders and other stakeholders to report illegal drilling. Reports can be made on 0816 878 2223 or at the commission's office at Block 19, 3rd Floor, Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
For now, the advice to drillers and anyone planning to sink a borehole is simple: get the permit before work starts.
