Jail Time or N250,000: Lagos Takes Enforces Strict Measures on Waste Disposal

In an effort to address environmental abuse and maintain cleanliness, the Lagos State Government has announced a strict enforcement of the law on indiscriminate waste disposal.

Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, declared that offenders will face a penalty of N250,000 or a three-month jail term.

“Let me be clear: we will not drop the ball,” Wahab said. “We’re ramping up enforcement and public awareness. Environmental laws are not optional.”

According to a statement from Kunle Adeshina, Director of Public Affairs at the ministry, the initiative is part of a broader push to clean up Lagos and hold violators accountable.

Wahab noted that over 3,000 people have already been prosecuted for environmental infractions, a number that’s expected to rise significantly.

He said the focal point of enforcement will be the continued ban on cart pushers, who Wahab accused of being the main culprits behind illegal dumping, urging Lagosians to shun their services and instead use registered Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste collectors.

Also developers who leave building materials on roads or drains will see their sites sealed and face prosecution, the commissioner said.

Beyond waste dumping, the government is taking aim at squatters on pedestrian bridges, where open defecation and petty crime have turned public infrastructure into danger zones.

Wahab emphasised that enforcement agencies; including LAWMA and KAI are on high alert to “arrest, prosecute, name, and shame” anyone violating the state’s environmental laws.