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Lagos State to Ban Pure Water, Pet Bottles in January 2025
The move is aimed at reducing the growing plastic waste crisis that has plagued Lagos and other African cities for years.
Tokunbo Wahab, Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, disclosed the decision during a stakeholders’ workshop held in Ikeja. He emphasized that the ban is part of the state’s great strategy to foster a healthier and more sustainable environment. “Plastic waste materials make up a significant proportion of solid wastes and litter the metropolis,” He said.
Wahab highlighted that over 60% of the monthly 13,000 tonnes of waste generated in Lagos consists of plastics, causing everything from ecosystem degradation to drainage clogs and flooding.
He added, “This development is posing environmental challenges ranging from ecosystem degradation, drainage clogging, and flooding, to debris in lagoons and oceans, with harmful socio-economic impacts on the state.”
This policy, aligned with the Lagos State Development Plan (LSDP) and the THEMES Plus Agenda of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, will be accompanied by legal frameworks to ensure compliance.
While the initiative is commendable, stakeholders, including the Association for Table Water Producers of Nigeria (ATWAP), are urging the government to implement the ban in phases.
Mosaku Ololade, ATWAP Lagos Chairperson, stressed, “We want the government to engage us. We are a responsible association, and we are ready to work with them. But we need more time to adjust.”
The transition might seem challenging, but it is an opportunity for businesses to innovate and stay ahead in a market increasingly driven by sustainability.