By Ayo Kehinde
The Lagos State government has commenced full-scale enforcement of the ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) across the state, signalling a major push in its environmental sustainability agenda.
The enforcement exercise, which took effect on Tuesday, July 1, 2025, follows an 18-month transition period granted to residents, manufacturers, and businesses to phase out the use of SUPs and adopt eco-friendly alternatives.
Addressing journalists in Alausa, Ikeja, Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, described the measure as critical to safeguarding the environment and mitigating Lagos’ vulnerability to climate-induced risks.
“This decision is not arbitrary — it is existential. Lagos is a coastal city below sea level, covering just 3,575 square kilometres, yet it accommodates about 10% of Nigeria’s population. That density alone presents significant environmental risk,” Wahab stated.
He recalled that the state government had, in January 2024, banned the use of Styrofoam food packs, warning at the time that a broader prohibition of single-use plastics would follow.
“Nearly 18 months later, we believe sufficient time has been provided for everyone to adapt. Enforcement has now commenced, and the heavens will not fall,” he said.
Items now banned under the new enforcement regime include Styrofoam food packs, due to their non-biodegradable nature and long-term environmental harm; plastic straws, aimed at reducing plastic waste and encouraging biodegradable alternatives; disposable plastic cups and cutlery, targeted to curb rising plastic pollution; and lightweight nylon bags, which are outlawed for their inability to decompose and their contribution to drainage blockages and flooding.
Wahab warned that violators will be prosecuted in line with the provisions of the state’s Environmental Laws, stressing that no exemptions would be granted.
The Commissioner urged food vendors, retailers, market traders, and other stakeholders to support the policy, which he said aligns with broader environmental reforms to address recurrent flooding, improve public health, and protect the state’s fragile ecosystem.
“We are not just banning plastics — we are preserving the future of Lagos,” Wahab said.
