Full commencement of enforcement of the ban on Single-Use Plastics (SUPs) across the state has been announced to start on the 1st of July 2025 by the Lagos state government.
The announcement was made by the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, during a courtesy visit by the management team of Tetra Pak West Africa Limited at Alausa, Ikeja.
Wahab emphasized that the government decided to ban SUPs because of the environmental concerns linked to Lagos’s unique geographical challenges.
“The decision to ban Single-Use Plastics in Lagos since early 2025 was an existential one, considering Lagos is a coastal state with the smallest land mass of 3,575 square kilometers but holds about 10% of the country’s population,” he explained.
He noted that Lagos started the ban of styrofoam food packs in 2024 and announced a complete phase-out of SUPs within 12 months.
“We believe that almost 18 months is more than enough time to transition. Enforcement will begin on July 1, 2025, and heavens will not fall,” Wahab declared.
Wahab revealed that the state has formed an alliance with the Food and Beverages Recyclers Alliance (FBBRA), achieving approximately 70% compliance so far. He emphasized the importance of producers being accountable for their products, urging them not to undermine environmental policies.
When producers, with due respect, seek to undermine the system and do things that are not acceptable in any civilized country, we must insist that the right thing be done,” Wahab stated.
He added that Lagos State Government had granted an 18-month transition period, 12 months given before, with an addition of 6 month before the complete ban, emphasizing that producers should be fair to the state by complying.