THEBUSINESSBYTES
BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR,
JUNE 19, 2026
Odisha’s pioneering digital sanitation model has earned global acclaim,
with the Odisha Water Supply and Sewerage Board (OWSSB) being selected to
mentor Nigeria’s Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) under a
prestigious UN-Habitat-supported initiative. The landmark partnership marks a major
international endorsement of Odisha’s innovative approach to urban sanitation
governance and strengthens South-South cooperation in sustainable urban
development.
The five-year
partnership (2026–2030), facilitated through the Global Water Operators’
Partnerships Alliance (GWOPA), will focus on strengthening sanitation service
delivery in Lagos State through the adoption of Digital Public Infrastructure
(DPI) and data-driven governance systems. OWSSB’s selection reflects growing
international recognition of Odisha’s pioneering work in digital sanitation
management and citywide fecal sludge and septage management (FSSM).
A detailed
presentation was made by Athena Infonomics, the technical lead for the
programme, outlining the scope and objectives of the Global Water Operators’
Partnership.
To review the roadmap
and chart immediate next steps, a high-level meeting was chaired on Friday by Usha
Padhee, Additional Chief Secretary, Housing & Urban Development Department.
The meeting was attended by senior officials, including Sikha Biswal,
FA-cum-Special Secretary; Bhagyadhar Mohanty, Engineer-in-Chief,
OWSSB-cum-Additional Secretary; Debabrata Mohanty, Managing Director, WATCO; Bilash
Behera, Engineer-in-Chief, PHEO; Suvendu Sahu, Director, Odisha Urban Academy;
and Prasant Mohapatra, Technical Resource Person, Housing & Urban
Development Department, along with representatives from Athena Infonomics and
eGov Foundation.
Under the
partnership, OWSSB will provide strategic and operational mentorship to LSWMO,
drawing upon Odisha’s successful implementation of the DIGIT platform and its
experience in deploying digital tools to enhance sanitation governance, service
delivery and citizen engagement.
OWSSB will support
Lagos State in designing and operationalising a robust Digital Public
Infrastructure framework covering governance structures, ownership models,
institutional arrangements and long-term sustainability mechanisms. The
collaboration will also facilitate the development of a customised Strategic
Digital Roadmap and a live Integrated Data Management System (IDMS) to monitor
sanitation services and enable evidence-based decision-making.
A strong emphasis
will be placed on knowledge exchange and capacity building. The programme will
include thematic learning clinics, virtual mentoring sessions, peer-learning
engagements and exposure visits to Odisha, allowing officials from Lagos State
to witness firsthand the State’s successful citywide FSSM reforms and digital
innovations.
The partnership is
supported by a consortium of international institutions comprising Athena
Infonomics as Technical Lead and Facilitator, IHE Delft Institute for Water
Education for capacity-building and research support, eGov Foundation as the
digital transformation partner, and the African Water and Sanitation
Association (AfWASA) as Regional Advisor.
Padhee said that
Odisha’s selection as a mentor utility under the UN-Habitat-supported programme
is a testament to the State’s sustained efforts in building inclusive,
technology-enabled and sustainable urban sanitation systems. She noted that the
partnership would not only strengthen sanitation outcomes in Lagos State but
also create opportunities for mutual learning and global collaboration.
With this landmark
initiative, Odisha is set to showcase its digital sanitation innovations on the
global stage while contributing meaningfully to international efforts aimed at
improving urban sanitation services and achieving sustainable development goals.
