The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, LASEPA has carried out more than 30,000 enforcement actions against businesses and facilities over the past 30 years as it intensifies efforts to control pollution and improve environmental compliance across the state.
The agency’s General Manager, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, disclosed this during a press conference marking LASEPA’s 30th anniversary grand finale at the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
Ajayi said the enforcement activities had particularly focused on noise pollution, while also covering industrial facilities, religious centres and other establishments responsible for environmental violations.
He identified population growth and Lagos’ rapid expansion as major challenges facing environmental regulation, noting that changing land-use patterns and increasing commercial, industrial and religious activities require continuous adjustments to monitoring and enforcement strategies.
The General Manager said the agency had strengthened its operations through digitisation, expanded environmental monitoring and improved enforcement activities across the state.
He disclosed that residents can now submit and track environmental complaints through LASEPA’s online portal, making it easier for the agency to receive and address reports from across Lagos.
Ajayi also highlighted progress in environmental laboratory services and the agency’s involvement in Nigeria’s carbon market and climate-related initiatives.
He described the anniversary as an opportunity to reflect on LASEPA’s contributions to environmental protection, public health and the safety of lives and property over three decades.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Environment Services in the Ministry of Environment & Water Resources, Mr. Gaji Omobolaji Tajudeen, called on the agency to sustain its commitment to environmental protection through improved service delivery, innovation, ethical conduct and stronger public engagement.
While commending LASEPA’s contributions, Tajudeen urged its workforce to adopt innovative approaches and improve service delivery, stressing the need for professionalism, integrity and consideration in dealing with members of the public.
He warned staff against using the agency’s authority for personal gain and encouraged senior officers to transfer their experience and institutional knowledge to younger colleagues to ensure continuity and better performance.
Tajudeen also urged staff to make official processes easier for visitors and ensure that members of the public and media representatives feel welcome when interacting with government offices.
As part of the anniversary activities, LASEPA presented a 10-minute documentary chronicling its 30-year journey, featuring former general managers who shared their experiences and recommendations for improving the agency.
The Permanent Secretary said the agency’s enforcement approach was designed to balance regulatory compliance with the interests of businesses and residents, adding that the public remained the primary beneficiary of its environmental protection activities.
He identified reductions in noise and air pollution, particularly around motor parks, as some of the agency’s achievements, while noting that LASEPA continued to intensify public awareness campaigns through radio, television and social media.
On its priorities for the next five years, Tajudeen said the agency would align its activities with the incoming administration’s agenda while maintaining its core mandate of reducing pollution and promoting a sustainable and habitable environment.
He stressed that environmental management remained a continuous process requiring regular improvements based on public feedback, and expressed optimism about the agency’s future.