Lagos to restart monthly environmental sanitation from April 25 after decade-long pause

The Lagos State Government has announced the resumption of its monthly environmental sanitation exercise, nearly ten years after it was suspended.

The initiative will officially restart on Saturday, April 25, 2026, and will be held on the last Saturday of every month from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

Residents are expected to clean their surroundings, clear drainage channels, and dispose of waste responsibly as part of efforts to improve environmental hygiene and tackle mounting waste management challenges in the state.

The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, described the exercise as a shared civic duty that requires full cooperation from Lagosians. “This exercise is a collective responsibility and a vital part of our commitment to a cleaner, healthier, and flood-resilient Lagos,” Wahab said. He stressed that the government will enforce strict compliance to ensure the initiative achieves its intended impact.

Wahab explained that the exercise was part of a culture that emphasized cleanliness as next to godliness, a tradition that was widely observed by Lagosians before 2016. “Once every month, we took our time to clean our surroundings and maintain them sparkling,” he said.

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The suspension of the exercise in November 2016, following a legal pronouncement restricting movement during sanitation days, coincided with growing waste management challenges across the state.

Residents Urged to Participate in a Cleaner Lagos

Wahab appealed to Lagosians to dedicate just a small portion of their time each month to the exercise. “It’s a plea that it is time for us to give up just one or two hours a month.

In our marketplaces, every Thursday, we observe environmental cleanliness. But this time, we are saying as a state, let us sit back once a month and observe the cleanliness of our environment as we used to before 2016,” he added.

Authorities will monitor compliance and ensure that residents observe proper waste disposal practices during the exercise. Experts have noted that Lagos’s growing population and urban pressures have made environmental management a critical issue.

By reintroducing monthly sanitation exercises, the state aims to instill discipline, reduce flood risks, and promote public health. Officials believe the program will also encourage residents to adopt long-term habits that ensure their neighborhoods remain clean throughout the month.

Wahab concluded by reminding Lagosians that maintaining a clean environment is not only the government’s responsibility but a shared commitment that requires consistent participation. “For those who don’t know, before 2016, we had a culture that emphasized cleanliness. It is time to bring it back and ensure Lagos continues to thrive as a modern, livable city,” he said.

With this move, Lagos joins other major cities worldwide in promoting civic-driven sanitation initiatives, reflecting a renewed focus on public health, environmental sustainability, and citizen engagement.