The Lagos State Government on Sunday reaffirmed its commitment to a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to ensure a clean, resilient, and livable city, dispelling viral insinuations that the state is smelling.
The state’s Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, in a statement, outlined practical measures the state is taking to demonstrate that it is evolving rather than deteriorating.
According to him, Lagos is not ‘smelling’; it is evolving—toward sustainable waste processing, modernized landfill management, cleaner waterways, and structured sanitation systems.
He noted that the administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains steadfast in its commitment to building a cleaner, more sustainable city through strategic environmental initiatives.
Wahab argued that the state government is fully committed to environmental sustainability and has developed a comprehensive, multi-sectoral approach to ensure a clean, resilient, and livable city.
“Waste and sanitation challenges in a rapidly growing megacity like Lagos require structural solutions—not sound bites or political rhetoric.
“Other measures undertaken by the State Government, according to Wahab, include the installation of over 50 air quality monitors across the state at strategic locations to capture industrial, transport, and household emissions,” he said.
The commissioner said that in line with the State THEMES Plus Agenda, LAWMA has expanded waste collection services to hard-to-reach communities. In partnership with Ibeju Lekki Local Government, tricycle compactors have been introduced to provide waste collection services on a pay-as-you-go model in areas with non-motorable roads.
He also revealed that the model will be expanded later this year with the introduction of 500 tricycle compactors across similar areas.
Wahab explained that within the next 18 months, the state will close the Olusosun and Solous 3 landfills, transitioning them into modern Transfer Loading Stations where waste will be sorted, compacted, and redirected to recycling facilities.
According to him, Lagos is also advancing its Waste-to-Energy project in Epe, which will process 2,500 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily and generate 60–80 megawatts of electricity, contributing clean energy to the Lagos power grid.
“In addition to a ban on styrofoam food packs, the state has also commenced the phasing out of single-use plastics while promoting sustainable alternatives and extended producer responsibilities (EPR) among manufacturers.
“The State Government has signed multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with international partners to develop waste-to-resource initiatives that will ensure Lagos remains at the forefront of waste recovery, recycling, and energy generation,” he added.
Wahab maintained that in the past two years, industrial effluent discharge into Lagos waterways has reduced by 25 percent due to the consistent efforts of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in regulating discharges through permits, fines, penalties, and publicized seals.
He stated that the state is already implementing bio-remediation techniques to improve surface water quality through natural purification processes, enhancing the quality of water in the lagoon and canals.
He further explained that the state, through the Waste Water Management Office (LASWMO), has deployed three Modular Septage Pre-Treatment Plants (MSPP), enabling efficient treatment of fecal sludge before discharge into the Odo Iya Alaro water body.
He added that LASWMO also enforces strict compliance among members of the Sewage and Wastewater Dislodgers Association of Nigeria to prevent the indiscriminate dumping of wastewater and ensure best practices in sewage evacuation.
The commissioner stated that as part of the street sanitation exercise, 15,000 street sweepers are deployed daily across highways, inner roads, and markets, along with stronger enforcement of environmental laws.
“In addressing open defecation, the state is embarking on continuous sensitization and the construction of an additional 150 public toilets, which will be complemented by another 250 to be built through public-private partnerships,” Wahab explained.
He added that the present administration is also partnering with local government areas and local council development areas to maintain over 1,710 public toilets across parks, markets, and residential areas.
To make Lagos greener and healthier, Wahab said the State Parks and Gardens Agency recently launched a “Trees for Lagos” campaign, which will ensure the planting of an additional 50,000 trees over the next two years.
The trees will be planted in carefully selected locations on major highways, railway routes, industrial areas, public and private estates, schools, and hospitals.
