Spatial variations in access to improved sanitation and water in Lagos state

Research has documented the connection between poor waste management and the contamination of ground and surface water across the globe and in Lagos in particular. This makes access to improved sanitation and water central to the pursuit of a good quality of life. This paper set out to explore variations in access to improved sanitation and water across Local Government Areas in Lagos state. Secondary data from the 2006 census of the Federal Republic of Nigeria were used. The study shows that access to improved sanitation and water is not equitable in the state. Collection of domestic solid waste ranges from 4 to 73% while access to improved water provided by the water corporation in the state ranges from 2 to 50%. The paper concludes that access to improved sanitation and water in Lagos is largely ‘metropocentric’. The implication is a high likelihood of variations in the incidence of cholera and waterborne diseases in the non-metropolitan parts of the state. The paper recommends concerted research-based intervention aimed at increasing access to sanitation and government-provided safe water in the non-metropolitan parts of Lagos state.