Borehole, Water Tank and Pump Installation Cost in Nigeria (2026): Prices, Sizing and What to Ask Your Installer

What a borehole, overhead tank and water pump cost to install in Nigeria in 2026 — drilling, tanks by size, submersible and surface pumps, stands and…

Published September 2026 · Skills · by Skillnaija Team

Most Nigerian homes make their own water: a borehole or well, a pump, an overhead tank and the pipework between them. It is the biggest plumbing-related expense a household faces and the one with the widest range of quotes. This guide gives realistic 2026 costs for each part, explains how to size the pump and tank so the system actually works, and lists the questions that separate a good installer from an expensive one.

Borehole drilling costs in 2026

• Manual (hand-drilled) borehole, 30–60 m in soft ground: ₦250,000 to ₦600,000 including casing and a basic completion; common in Lagos, the south-west and river-basin areas.
• Machine-drilled borehole, 60–120 m: ₦800,000 to ₦2.5 million; needed in rocky or deep-water-table areas (Abuja, Jos, parts of the south-east and north).
• Deep or rock boreholes, 120–250 m: ₦2.5 million to ₦6 million and above.
• Geophysical survey before drilling: ₦50,000 to ₦200,000 — cheap insurance against a dry hole.
• Hand-dug well (where the water table is shallow): ₦150,000 to ₦450,000 with rings and a cover.

Prices include drilling, casing and gravel pack but often exclude the pump, tank, stand and plumbing, which can double the total.

Pumps

• Submersible pump (the standard for boreholes), 1 HP: ₦90,000 to ₦220,000; 1.5–2 HP ₦150,000 to ₦400,000; brands with local service (Pedrollo, Grundfos, Lorentz for solar) at the top, budget imports at the bottom.
• Surface pump (for wells and tanks), 0.5–1 HP: ₦45,000 to ₦150,000.
• Solar submersible pump with panels: ₦450,000 to ₦1.5 million installed — increasingly popular where grid power is poor, and cheaper to run than any generator.
• Control box, float switch, cable, non-return valve, pressure switch: ₦25,000 to ₦90,000.
• Pump installation labour: ₦15,000 to ₦50,000; solar pump installation ₦60,000 to ₦200,000.

Tanks and stands

• 1,000 L plastic tank: ₦70,000 to ₦130,000
• 2,000 L: ₦130,000 to ₦230,000
• 3,000 L: ₦200,000 to ₦330,000
• 5,000 L: ₦330,000 to ₦550,000
• 10,000 L: ₦650,000 to ₦1.1 million
• Stainless steel tanks: roughly two to three times plastic
• Steel tank stand (3–6 m): ₦150,000 to ₦600,000 depending on height and capacity; concrete tower ₦400,000 to ₦1.5 million
• Tank installation and plumbing to the house: ₦30,000 to ₦120,000 labour plus pipe and fittings

A typical household system, all in

A manual borehole, 1 HP submersible pump, 2,000 L tank on a 4 m steel stand, and plumbing to a flat costs ₦800,000 to ₦1.6 million in 2026 in the south-west; a machine-drilled borehole in Abuja or Enugu with a 3,000 L tank and a bigger pump runs ₦1.8 million to ₦4 million. Adding solar pumping adds ₦500,000 to ₦1.2 million and removes the electricity and generator cost of pumping.

Sizing the system

A household uses roughly 100 to 150 litres per person per day; a family of five needs 500 to 750 litres a day, so a 2,000 L tank gives three days' reserve and a 1 HP pump refills it in under an hour. Pump size depends on depth: a 1 HP submersible lifts comfortably from 40 to 60 m to a 4 m stand; deeper boreholes or taller stands need 1.5 to 2 HP. Oversized pumps waste power and wear out faster; undersized pumps run for hours and burn out. A float switch that stops the pump when the tank is full is the single most valuable ₦8,000 in the system.

What to ask your installer

1. Has a survey been done, and what is the expected depth and yield?
2. What casing and what gravel pack are included, and what happens if the hole is dry?
3. Which pump brand and rating, and why that size for this depth and tank height?
4. Is the wiring properly rated and protected, with a control box and float switch?
5. What is the warranty on the pump, and who services it?
6. Is the quote itemised — drilling, casing, pump, tank, stand, plumbing, labour?

A quote that is one number, with no survey and no brand named, is a quote to walk away from. A written itemised quote, a deposit that covers materials only, and a water test at commissioning are the marks of a professional.

For plumbers and technicians

Tank-and-pump installation is among the best-paying domestic plumbing work — ₦50,000 to ₦200,000 in labour per system — and solar pumping is a growing specialism. The free Plumbing Basics course covers water-system design and installation and ends with a graded job plan; Solar Panel Installation and Electrical Installation & Wiring cover the power side.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a borehole cost in Nigeria in 2026?

A manual borehole in soft ground costs ₦250,000 to ₦600,000; a machine-drilled borehole of 60 to 120 m ₦800,000 to ₦2.5 million; deep or rock boreholes ₦2.5 million to ₦6 million and above. Pump, tank, stand and plumbing are usually extra.

How much is a submersible pump in Nigeria?

A 1 HP submersible pump costs ₦90,000 to ₦220,000 in 2026 and 1.5 to 2 HP ₦150,000 to ₦400,000, plus ₦25,000 to ₦90,000 for the control box, float switch and cable and ₦15,000 to ₦50,000 installation labour.

How much does an overhead water tank cost?

A 1,000 L plastic tank is ₦70,000 to ₦130,000, 2,000 L ₦130,000 to ₦230,000, 5,000 L ₦330,000 to ₦550,000 and 10,000 L ₦650,000 to ₦1.1 million in 2026; a steel stand adds ₦150,000 to ₦600,000.

What size tank and pump does a family need?

A family of five uses 500 to 750 litres a day, so a 2,000 L tank gives about three days' reserve. A 1 HP submersible pump suits boreholes of 40 to 60 m feeding a 4 m stand; deeper holes or taller stands need 1.5 to 2 HP.

Is a solar water pump worth it in Nigeria?

Usually yes where grid power is poor: a solar submersible system costs ₦450,000 to ₦1.5 million installed and removes the electricity or generator cost of pumping for a decade or more.