Geneva: Nigeria's commercial capital Lagos faces an acute water crisis that is creating unacceptable conditions for millions of people, according to an independent expert appointed by the United Nations.
The 21 million residents of Lagos, which is built on a lagoon, struggle to find water suitable for drinking and sanitation. Estimates suggest only one in 10 people have access to water supplied by the state utility provider, according to the UN.
This has been compounded by years of mismanagement, said Léo Heller, the UN special rapporteur on the human rights to water and sanitation, after Lagos's state governor presented a proposed budget for the year 2017 to the Lagos House Assembly.
"Government reports indicate alarmingly high deficits in the sector, representing clearly unacceptable conditions for millions of the megacity's residents," a statement quoted Heller as saying.
More funding could be used to improve the state utility provider, adopt financing schemes and reduce water losses, he said.
Lagos is the biggest city in Africa's most populous nation.
A state government spokesman declined to comment.
