The Lagos State Government has firmly rejected viral claims that the state is “smelling,” asserting that Lagos is undergoing a transformative environmental evolution, which includes building new public toilets to address the menace of open defecation.
In a statement on Sunday, the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, emphasised the government’s commitment to sustainability, highlighting ongoing efforts to implement innovative policies that strengthen waste management, enhance sanitation, and reinforce urban resilience.
The Commissioner affirmed that Lagos is not deteriorating but evolving into a megacity with modern waste management systems.
“Lagos is not ‘smelling’; it is evolving toward sustainable waste processing, modernized landfill management, cleaner waterways, and structured sanitation systems. The present administration of Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains steadfast in its commitment to building a cleaner, more sustainable city through strategic environmental initiatives,” he said.
He stressed that addressing waste and sanitation challenges in a rapidly growing megacity requires structured solutions rather than sensational claims.
Wahab highlighted that the government has implemented various measures, including the installation of over 50 air quality monitors to track emissions from industrial, transport, and household sources.
According to him, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has expanded waste collection services to hard-to-reach communities. In collaboration with Ibeju Lekki Local Government, tricycle compactors have been introduced for waste collection on a pay-as-you-go model in areas with non-motorable roads.
Wahab who revealed that this initiative will be scaled up with the deployment of 500 tricycle compactors later this year, further stated that within 18 months, the state will close the Olusosun and Solous 3 landfills, replacing them with modern Transfer Loading Stations where waste will be sorted, compacted, and redirected to recycling facilities.
He also noted that Lagos is 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 for the power grid.
He reiterated that the administration has also taken steps to reduce plastic pollution by banning styrofoam food packs and phasing out single-use plastics, and the government is promoting sustainable alternatives and enforcing extended producer responsibility among manufacturers.
He disclosed that multiple Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) have been signed with international partners to support waste-to-resource initiatives.
The Commissioner pointed out that in the past two years, industrial effluent discharge into Lagos waterways has reduced by 25%, a development attributed to stringent regulations by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
He stated that the government is implementing bio-remediation techniques to enhance surface water quality and deploying Modular Septage Pre-Treatment Plants (MSPP) to ensure efficient fecal sludge treatment.
To further enhance sanitation, Wahab also said the government has deployed 15,000 street sweepers across highways, inner roads, and markets, alongside stricter enforcement of environmental laws.
“Efforts to address open defecation include continuous sensitisation campaigns and the construction of 150 new public toilets, with another 250 to be built through public-private partnerships,”
He added that local governments are also collaborating to maintain the state’s 1,710 existing public toilets in parks, markets, and residential areas.
“In an effort to make Lagos greener and healthier, the State Parks and Garden Agency has launched the “Trees for Lagos” campaign, aiming to plant 50,000 trees within two years at strategic locations, including highways, railway routes, industrial areas, schools, and hospitals.”
