The Hygienic Water Producers Association of Nigeria (HWAPAN) held its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on Wednesday to review the association’s activities over the past few years.
In his opening remarks, Rev Ebere Ibeawuchi, the Chairman of HWAPAN in Lagos State, warmly welcomed the members and acknowledged the numerous challenges the association has faced, emphasizing that these can only be tackled through collective effort.
“As water producers, we can’t ignore the existence of challenges we encounter. While they may seem daunting, together we can overcome them. The 2025 business year has been tough, filled with obstacles. Initially, Lagos State aimed to ban nylon below 40 microns, which would have affected us. Navigating through these challenges was no easy feat, but today we can proudly say we’ve been exempted from that ban. Still, no victory comes without its losses,” he stated.
He went on to highlight that despite these hurdles, HWAPAN members have consistently provided clean and hygienic water to the communities in Lagos. He also mentioned that the association has been actively engaging with regulatory bodies like the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to foster collaboration and ease unnecessary tensions.
The association also tackled the pressing issue of falling prices, which has become a significant threat to HWAPAN members throughout the state. They reached a unanimous decision to set the price of a bag of sachet water at N400.
Christiana Oduntan, the managing director of Settle Water, explained that this price adjustment was essential due to rising production costs. She also pointed out that multiple taxation is another major hurdle that producers have been facing.
This decision came after area chairmen of HWAPAN voiced their concerns about a period of price drops that have been hindering the progress of the association’s members. The Lagos Chairman, Rev Ebere, mentioned that the association’s executive will keep working closely with all security agencies and regulatory bodies in the state to effectively combat the challenges posed by saboteurs and falling prices.
He mentioned that, as a result, the association has been busy working on the bye-law and the constitution, which members believe will significantly help reorganize the association both on a national level and within the Lagos chapter. The AGM saw unanimous approval for the new bye-law for the Lagos State HWAPAN chapter, along with the constitution for the Hygienic Water Producers Association of Nigeria.
Members feel that this bye-law will empower the association to become a more active, strong, and vibrant organization, ensuring that members’ rights are upheld and that they fulfill their responsibilities to consumers.
They believe that with the bye-law that took effect from Wednesday, November 26, 2025, it will finally put an end to the association operating without one, serving as a crucial working document for all members.
To conclude the AGM, 14 managing directors and CEOs from various production organizations were honoured with awards as matrons and patrons of HWAPAN. Abanum Austin, the managing director and CEO of Jokky Water, who is also chairman of HWAPAM Alimosho 3, stated that these awards were presented to individuals for their dedicated service to the association and their efforts toward the growth of HWAPAN.
