- Let’s Beat Plastic Pollution Together, Sanwo-Olu Urges Lagos Residents
- … As LASG, NCF Mark 19th Edition Of Walk For Nature
- Nigeria generates about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually
The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has called on residents to take collective responsibility in tackling plastic pollution, declaring that Lagos must not be defined by waste but by innovation, action, and environmental responsibility.
Eko Hot Blog reports that while speaking through the Special Adviser on Environment and Water Resources, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, at the 19th Annual Walk for Nature held at the Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH), Sanwo-Olu described this year’s theme, “Lagos, Let’s Beat Plastic Pollution,” as timely and relevant to one of today’s most urgent environmental challenges.
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He said addressing plastic pollution is essential to building a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Lagos, adding that it aligns with his administration’s T.H.E.M.E.S Plus Agenda, which prioritises environmental sustainability and inclusive growth.
Across the world, Sanwo-Olu noted, plastic pollution has become a silent crisis that clogs drains, pollutes waterways, threatens marine life, and undermines efforts toward a sustainable future. He said Nigeria generates about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with Lagos accounting for approximately 870,000 tonnes, of which less than 12 per cent is recycled.
“The burden on our environment is enormous,” he said. “Plastic waste blocks our drains, worsens flooding, endangers marine life, and poses serious health risks. The solution begins with each of us through collective responsibility, behavioural change, and conscious environmental stewardship.”
The governor highlighted steps already taken by the state government, including the ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam containers, the strengthening of waste collection and recycling systems through the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and the introduction of the Blue Box Programme for waste separation at source
He added that the government had expanded waste-to-wealth initiatives, increased investments in recycling infrastructure, and empowered Environmental Marshals to enforce sanitation laws with stiffer penalties for indiscriminate dumping.
Sanwo-Olu also urged residents to embrace the 8Rs of sustainable living Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink, Repair, Re-gift, Recover, and Refuse noting that lasting change requires a shift in individual and community habits.
He commended the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) for its partnership and dedication to environmental awareness, saying the Walk for Nature symbolises unity, shared purpose, and a growing movement toward sustainability in Lagos.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Tajudeen Gaji, said the Walk for Nature has for nearly two decades served as a platform for raising public awareness on conservation and sustainable living.
Also speaking, the National Executive Council Chairman of NCF, Hon. Justice Mrs. Raliatu Adebiyi, urged residents to become environmental ambassadors by planting trees, reducing waste, and promoting sustainability within their communities.
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