Illegal waste disposal to attract N250,000 fine, three-month jail — Lagos

The Lagos State Government has announced that anyone caught dumping refuse illegally or littering public spaces will pay a fine of ₦250,000 or spend up to three months in prison.

The state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, made the announcement on Tuesday at a media briefing, warning that “serial offenders will face even stiffer punishments.”

The Ministry of Environment and Water Resources says Wahab’s message leaves no room for excuses, as he reads the riot act to residents who treat environmental laws as optional

“We won’t drop the ball.

We would continue to ramp up our enforcement and sensitisation,” he declared.

All these are detailed in a statement issued by the ministry’s Director Public Affairs, Kunle Adeshina, on Tuesday.

“Let me reiterate that the ban on cart pushers has not been lifted because they are the ones that dump wastes indiscriminately across the state.

Residents should desist from patronising them and always patronise registered PSP,” Wahab warned.

He lamented the actions of developers “dumping building materials on drains or roads”, stressing that such sites “will be sealed up and the owners prosecuted.”

The state has already prosecuted over 3,000 offenders, but Wahab said this was “just the beginning”.

Enforcement teams from LAWMA, KAI, and other agencies are now working round the clock to “arrest, prosecute, name, and shame” all convicted violators.

A particularly disturbing focus was on squatters on pedestrian bridges, where open defecation and petty crime have made these essential walkways dangerous.

“They dissuade pedestrians from using the bridges and in turn endanger lives,” Wahab said.

The government is also preparing for the July 1 enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics, part of its efforts tied to World Environment Day (June 5).

The theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution,” underscores the urgency.

“There is no going back.

“After an 18-month moratorium to producers, distributors and users… the ban on single-use plastics and Styrofoam food packs will be enforced,” Wahab declared.

As the Ed-el-Kabir celebration approaches, Wahab called on residents to be mindful of waste generated during animal slaughter and festivities.

“All generated wastes should be sorted, bagged, and handed over to the approved PSP operators across all the wards in the state,” he urged.

His final call was for shared responsibility.

“The government has done its part.

Now residents must do theirs,” he said.