The Lagos State Government, through the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), shut down 244 facilities—including hotels, churches, mosques, warehouses and others—across the metropolis in 2025 for violating environmental laws during enforcement drives aimed at protecting public health and the environment.

The state also revealed that noise pollution topped environmental complaints received in 2025, accounting for 3,300 out of a total 8,437 cases.

The General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, disclosed this while addressing journalists yesterday during the agency’s Annual Performance Appraisal and Media Parley at its headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja.

According to Ajayi, the closures resulted from sustained monitoring, compliance and enforcement activities carried out between January and December 2025.

“During the year under review, LASEPA carried out 244 enforcement actions across households, markets, hotels, warehouses, service centres, churches and mosques to ensure compliance with state environmental laws,” he said.

Ajayi added that the agency also monitored over 200 hospitality facilities, including supermarkets, nightclubs and bakeries, noting that 180 abatement notices were issued to individuals and organisations found discharging raw sewage into lagoons and engaging in other forms of land and water pollution.

He said enforcement efforts extended to industrial and chemical facilities, stressing that improved monitoring had “significantly reduced incidents of fire outbreaks and chemical spillages” in chemical markets.

Ajayi cited a joint compliance operation at the Ojota Chemical Market with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and environmental task forces as a key intervention.

Beyond enforcement, he highlighted community-focused initiatives, including the installation of two state-funded smokeless kiln machines at the Ago-Egun Ilaje fishing community in Bariga.

“This intervention is designed to improve air quality, protect women’s health and boost economic productivity,” he explained.

On air quality management, Ajayi said LASEPA partnered with local and international institutions to deploy low-cost air quality sensors across Lagos, providing real-time pollution data to guide policy and enforcement.

He said the agency releases weekly air-quality data from its 114 air monitors installed across the state and is targeting at least 200 monitors before the end of 2026, adding that 60 additional monitors are already on ground awaiting installation.

On noise pollution, Ajayi said many complaints were resolved without sealing premises.

“For every one naira spent on environmental protection, about ₦40 is saved that would have been spent on sickness or disease management,” he said.

He also disclosed that religious leaders and nightclub operators signed memoranda of understanding with the state under the Noiseless Lagos advocacy to curb excessive noise.

“Our goal is not punishment alone, but a cleaner, safer and healthier Lagos for all,” Ajayi said.

He noted that the agency deliberately combined enforcement with education and support, explaining that compliance improves when operators understand the health and economic costs of environmental abuse.

“We are not just shutting down facilities; we are also helping operators comply. That is why we established a compliance desk to assist industries facing environmental regulation challenges and provide practical solutions,” he added.

On public health, Ajayi said LASEPA worked closely with the Lagos State Ministry of Health on water quality testing and sample analysis to enable early detection and prevention of cholera and other water-borne diseases.

“Environmental protection is inseparable from public health. Our surveillance and laboratory collaborations help the state respond proactively rather than reactively,” he said.

The General Manager also disclosed capacity-building initiatives, including a mandatory sensitisation workshop for over 400 master bakers in collaboration with the Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria, Lagos chapter, to address pollution, fire hazards and sanitation risks.

Ajayi further revealed that about 25 per cent of diseases reported in health facilities are environment-related.

He added that LASEPA registered and accredited 153 e-waste and battery recyclers and collectors in 2025 to formalise the recycling sector and curb unsafe disposal practices.

The agency also conducted 1,637 laboratory tests in 2025 and plans to build on the record in 2026.

“As part of efforts to provide insights and data for critical stakeholders, the agency will publish monthly summaries of environmental data,” Ajayi said. (Vanguard)

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