Lagos Government Sets ₦250,000 Fine, Jail Terms for Environmental Violators Starting July 1

The Lagos State Government announced stringent penalties for environmental violations, effective July 1, 2025, including fines up to ₦250,000 and jail terms of up to six months for offenders.

The policy, unveiled by Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab during a press conference in Alausa, targets activities like improper waste disposal, open defecation, and blocking drainage systems, which contribute to 80% of Lagos’s annual flooding. The Lagos Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) will enforce the measures, deploying 500 officers across the state’s 57 local government areas to monitor compliance during the reinstated monthly sanitation exercise, set for the last Saturday of each month from 7:00 AM to 10:00 AM.

The initiative follows 2024’s flooding, which displaced 5,000 residents and caused ₦2 billion in damages, largely due to 60% of drainage channels being obstructed by illegal structures and waste. Offenders face tiered penalties: individuals dumping refuse illegally risk ₦50,000 fines or three months’ imprisonment, while businesses face ₦250,000 or facility closure. Repeat offenders could see fines double and jail terms extend to one year.

Wahab emphasized public education, with 1,000 community sensitizations planned by June 30, but critics, including 40% of market traders in a recent poll, argue the fines are unaffordable amid 34% inflation. The government has introduced 200 new waste collection trucks and plans to clear 500 km of drainage by 2026, aiming to reduce flood risks by 70%.

Residents are urged to use 400 licensed Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, as 30% of Lagos’s 13,000-ton daily waste is mismanaged. The policy aligns with Lagos’s $3 billion climate resilience plan, but public compliance, historically at 65%, remains a challenge, with 1,500 environmental arrests in 2024.