Lagos Gears Up: Monthly Sanitation Exercise Set To Resume In March

Lagos State is set to resume its monthly environmental sanitation exercise on the last Saturday of every month, starting March 2026.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The government has also called on residents to take personal responsibility for maintaining clean surroundings.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the announcement while inspecting ongoing regeneration and drainage projects on Lagos Island.

Wahab explained that the exercise, typically held from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., was suspended in November 2016 due to difficulties enforcing movement restrictions in the densely populated city.

He noted that the resurgence of waste piles, blocked drainage channels, and indiscriminate dumping made it necessary to reinstate the monthly cleanup.

The commissioner emphasized that the government has been working closely with stakeholders to ensure a smooth and well-coordinated restart. He highlighted that poor civic discipline, rather than insufficient waste management resources, remains the primary driver of Lagos’ environmental challenges.

Markets along busy roads, Wahab noted, are frequent hotspots for illegal dumping despite the presence of waste bins, and stricter enforcement measures will now be implemented in critical areas.

The decision to resume the sanitation exercise follows extensive discussions by the Lagos State Executive Council and legal guidance from the Ministry of Justice. Earlier legal constraints involved movement restrictions, not the sanitation programme itself, and these issues have now been addressed.

The government affirmed that regular sanitation is in line with global best practices for urban health and sustainable living, stressing that Lagos must foster a lasting culture of cleanliness for the benefit of all residents.