The Lagos State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to strict enforcement of environmental and sanitation laws, as part of ongoing efforts to improve urban hygiene and flood control across the state.
This was disclosed by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, during the Year 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, as part of activities marking the sixth anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s administration.
Wahab revealed that the state’s environmental enforcement agency, Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), has stepped up operations, arresting 6,939 individuals for various environmental offences.
Of this number, 6,789 were apprehended for failure to use pedestrian bridges, while 150 were caught defecating openly on the same bridges.
The agency also issued 192 Environmental Abatement Notices to violators.
In a further crackdown on illegal street trading and waste mismanagement, KAI, in collaboration with the Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences, prosecuted 3,786 street traders, environmental polluters, and cart pushers.
Major clean-up operations were also executed at key locations including the rail tracks, and shanties under Apongbon Bridge, Lekki, Victoria Island, Agege, Obalende, and the Lagos-Badagry Expressway.
According to Wahab, improved collaboration with private sector waste conversion firms has helped reduce flash floods across Lagos, as storm drains now function more effectively due to fewer blockages from waste and silt.
The commissioner disclosed that over the past year, more than 300km of secondary collector drains and 70km of primary channels have been awarded for concrete lining.
Between 2023 and 2024, a total of 22.9km of collector drains and 12.43km of primary channels were either completed or nearing completion.
An additional 36.44km of collector drains are currently undergoing procurement processes for award in 2025.
He noted that from 2023 to 2025, a cumulative 666,740.5 metres of secondary collectors—covering 397 drainage routes—were maintained and cleaned.
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Meanwhile, the removal of illegal structures along drainage corridors restored functionality to 12 primary channels and 84 secondary collectors, spanning 32.5km and 96km, respectively.
In 2024, the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG) cleaned 181 drainage collectors totalling 242,846.5 metres in length. So far in 2025, an additional 72 collectors—totalling 166,846.5 metres—have been cleared.
The government also undertook the de-flooding of drainage channels near schools, with 18 such channels cleared in 2024 across Agege, Alimosho, Surulere, Epe, Ikorodu, Badagry, and Ajeromi-Ifelodun.
Seven more have been de-flooded in 2025.
Additionally, a large-scale de-flooding initiative is underway on Lagos Island, covering areas such as Oroyinyin, Idumagbo, Binuyo, Aroloya, Epe, and Ojo-Giwa.
To mitigate the effects of tidal flooding, Wahab announced the construction of a state-of-the-art stormwater pumping station at Ilubirin—hailed as the first of its kind in Africa.
The station will discharge stormwater from Lagos Island into the Lagoon via an elevated channel upon completion of the broader regeneration project.
Wahab further revealed that year-round maintenance of river gauging stations at Majidun-Awori (Ikorodu), Falomo (Ikoyi), and Kara Bridge is ongoing to support the state’s real-time flood alert system.
Similar maintenance activities are being carried out at automatic weather stations located in Agidingbi Grammar School (Ikeja), Government Senior Model College (Owutu, Ikorodu), and Government Senior College (Victoria Island) to enhance flood prediction accuracy.
In its broader climate resilience strategy, the state is investing in urban greening initiatives, improving air quality monitoring systems, and expanding tree planting programmes.
The Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency recently launched the ‘Trees for Lagos’ campaign, aiming to plant an additional 50,000 trees in two years.
On water supply, Wahab announced that the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has revived the 70 million gallons per day (MGD) Adiyan II water project, which is expected to provide safe drinking water to over five million residents by 2027.
The re-commissioning of the 2 MGD Mosan Okunola water facility has restored water supply to the Baruwa-Abesan community, ending 25 years of scarcity.
Additionally, the rehabilitation of the Isashi waterworks was completed in 2024.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the government’s resolve to build a cleaner, flood-resilient, and environmentally sustainable Lagos.
