The Lagos State Government has announced that it will commence the full enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics starting July 1, 2024.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known in a statement posted on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday.
Wahab noted that the decision follows 18 months of strategic planning, public engagement, and stakeholder consultation, particularly with marketers and producers of single-use plastic products.
“We have been intentional and strategic in this process,” he said. “Over the past 18 months, we’ve held several engagements with stakeholders, including producers and marketers, to ensure a smooth transition.”
In January 2024, the state government banned the use of Styrofoam, sparking reactions from residents and traders, especially those involved in the sale and distribution of the product. However, Wahab maintained that the move is consistent with global environmental standards.
“We’ve given ample time for adaptation. What is deemed unacceptable elsewhere cannot be the standard in Lagos. We must protect our environment and secure a sustainable future,” he said.
He reiterated this position during a recent courtesy visit by the management of TETRA PAK West Africa, led by Managing Director Haithem Debbiche.
“This is about environmental responsibility, not scoring political points. Just as we successfully enforced the Styrofoam ban, we will hold individuals and businesses accountable. A cleaner, healthier Lagos is within our reach—if we all do our part,” Wahab added.
In September 2024, officials from the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI, in collaboration with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), destroyed ₦5 million worth of confiscated Styrofoam packs in the Epe area of the state. The seizure occurred over the span of one month.
Speaking at the site of the incineration, Corps Marshal of LAGESC, Major Olaniyi Olatunbosun Cole (rtd), affirmed the government’s zero-tolerance policy on the sale, use, and distribution of Styrofoam products, stating that there would be no reversal of the ban.
Meanwhile, on the national level, the Federal Government also took action against plastic pollution. In June 2024, it announced a ban on single-use plastics within all ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs).
Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, disclosed the directive following a Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Salako explained that the ban is part of the implementation of the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, adopted in 2020. The policy outlines that by January 2025, various categories of single-use plastics will be prohibited nationwide.
“This move is in line with Nigeria’s commitment to combat climate change, biodiversity loss, and plastic pollution—challenges that pose increasing threats to public health, the environment, and national development,” Salako said.
He added that plastic waste contributes to urban flooding by clogging drains, while also polluting water bodies and harming marine life.
