Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has condemned the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) over its decision to privatise the Tin-Can Water Treatment plant by handing it over to Sandust Tincan Water Project Limited (STWP) under a 16-year concession agreement.
It has been reported that before the concessioning, the plant located within the Tin-Can Island Port (TCIP) complex, had been abandoned for 18 years.
The concession agreement, valued at N11 billion, effectively transfers the management and operation of TCIP’s water facilities to STWP, beginning September 1, 2025. The functional operation of the TCIP’s water utility is expected to restore the production and sale of fresh water to visiting vessels and port users.
CAPPA claims that the concession agenda, driven by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), the Federal Ministry of Transportation, the Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC), and the Ministry of Finance, signals a worrying pattern of auctioning off essential public assets, particularly water infrastructure, under the guise of efficiency and increased revenue generation.
The organisation further stated that the concession reflects the lack of attention to the urgency of revamping water utilities for the benefit of underserved populations.
“Tin Can Island Port is Nigeria’s second-busiest port, serving as a crucial hub for international trade and economic development. As such, the supply of adequate clean water is also critical for sustaining the millions of citizens and residents within and around the port community who rely on it for their everyday domestic needs,” the statement noted.
The organisation lamented that turning over the control of such a vital resource to private hands with the sole purpose of revenue generation represents a step in the wrong direction and urged the government to reverse course by prioritising inclusive, socially responsible solutions that place public welfare at the centre of governance and development.
CAPPA’s Water Programme Officer, Sefa Ikpa,
noted that “Entering into a concession agreement is not a solution but a symptom of a deeper systemic problem. In many instances, what leads to the decay of public infrastructure is rampant corruption and nepotism fuelled by a lack of accountability measures to keep public officers in check”.
