LASEPA Issues Three-Day Ultimatum to Steel Firms over Pollution in Ikorodu Corridor
By Emmanuel Daniji
The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has issued a three-day ultimatum to iron and steel companies operating within the Ikorodu Industrial Corridor, particularly in the Odogunyan axis, over persistent and widespread environmental violations.
The directive followed an extensive monitoring and enforcement operation by the Agency, which revealed repeated non-compliance with environmental regulations by several firms within the industrial cluster.
According to LASEPA, the infractions uncovered include ineffective air pollution control systems, failure to install effluent treatment plants, absence of buffer walls around scrap metal yards, and continued disregard for earlier compliance directives issued by the Agency.
The affected companies include Top Steel Nigeria Limited, Germini Steel Nigeria Limited, Pulkit Alloy Nigeria Limited, LandCraft Steel Nigeria Limited, African Steel Nigeria Limited, and SunFlag Steel Nigeria Limited.
LASEPA disclosed that the companies have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Agency, committing to fully comply with all environmental requirements within the stipulated three-day period. The Agency warned that failure to meet the deadline would attract appropriate sanctions in line with existing environmental laws.
The ultimatum, Echonews gathered, is in line with resolutions reached during a stakeholders’ meeting held on December 2, 2025, between the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, and operators of iron and steel companies in the Odogunyan area of Ikorodu.
Briefing journalists on the development, Dr. Ajayi revealed that real-time data from LASEPA’s environmental monitoring systems recorded alarmingly high levels of air pollution within the area.
He explained that the data showed elevated concentrations of particulate matter, oxides of nitrogen, and sulphur compounds—pollutants known to pose serious risks to public health and the environment.
According to him, the Agency immediately directed the affected companies to suspend operations capable of causing further pollution, while mandating them to commence urgent remedial measures.
“The three-day grace period is strictly for the installation of appropriate pollution control technologies and other environmental safeguards,” Dr. Ajayi said.
He warned that any company that fails to comply within the stipulated timeframe would face strict enforcement actions, including the sealing of facilities and the imposition of heavy fines, in line with the polluter-pays principle enshrined in environmental protection laws.
While acknowledging the role of industrial activities in job creation and economic growth, the LASEPA General Manager stressed that the protection of public health and the environment remains non-negotiable.
He emphasized that all affected companies must achieve full compliance with environmental standards before resuming normal operations.
Dr. Ajayi further assured residents of Ikorodu and surrounding communities that the Agency would intensify surveillance across industrial corridors in Lagos State through continuous on-site inspections and live air quality monitoring.
He noted that the move is part of LASEPA’s broader commitment to preventing environmental degradation and ensuring a cleaner, safer, and healthier environment for residents across the state.
