Manny Ita –
The Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources has announced that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume across Lagos beginning Saturday, April 25, 2026, as part of efforts to improve environmental cleanliness and reduce flood risks in the state.
The disclosure was made in a statement by the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, on X, where he informed residents about the planned return of the sanitation exercise.
According to him, the initiative is designed to encourage collective responsibility among residents in maintaining a cleaner and healthier environment across the state.
Wahab said residents will be expected to clean their surroundings and clear drainage channels in front of their homes and businesses during the sanitation period.
“I am pleased to inform all Lagosians that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise will resume effective Saturday, 25th April 2026, holding on the last Saturday of every month from 6:30 AM to 8:30 AM,” he stated.
“Residents are enjoined to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels in their frontages, and dispose of waste properly as a civic responsibility,” he added.
He further explained that the exercise is aimed at building a cleaner, healthier and flood-resilient Lagos, adding that the programme will be backed by full enforcement from relevant state authorities.
The state government has repeatedly indicated its intention to restore the sanitation exercise, making similar announcements in 2024 and June 2025. During those earlier statements, Wahab emphasized that environmental sanitation should become a consistent lifestyle rather than a periodic campaign, while urging residents to support the government’s goal of maintaining a cleaner city.
Calls for the return of the programme have increased in recent years due to worsening waste management challenges, including blocked drainage systems and indiscriminate dumping of refuse, which have contributed to environmental hazards and recurring flooding in parts of the state.
Earlier in the year, the Lagos State Government also dismissed reports claiming the sanitation exercise had already resumed, explaining at the time that consultations with stakeholders were still ongoing and no official date had been finalized.
The monthly environmental sanitation programme was previously observed on the last Saturday of every month between 7:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. before it was suspended in November 2016 following a legal ruling that restricted the enforcement of movement limitations during the exercise.
Meanwhile, the state government has continued to implement other waste management measures, including improved refuse collection, drainage maintenance and public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing sanitation challenges and flood risks.
In 2025, the Lagos Waste Management Authority launched a truck-leasing programme to support Private Sector Participant operators by providing compactor trucks to strengthen waste collection efficiency amid operational challenges caused by rising diesel costs and foreign exchange volatility.
The agency is also promoting a circular economy strategy designed to divert up to 10,000 tonnes of waste daily from landfills into productive uses. Authorities say the initiative could generate as much as $2.5 billion annually through recycling and reuse. Community recycling hubs have also been introduced, allowing residents to exchange PET bottles, paper, metals and food waste for incentives as part of efforts to encourage sustainable waste management.
In addition, the state government has introduced stricter penalties for environmental offences, including fines and up to three months’ imprisonment for illegal dumping of refuse and littering, in a bid to discourage environmental negligence and reinforce proper waste disposal practices.
