The Lagos State Government has outlined enforcement measures ahead of the resumption of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, scheduled to restart on Saturday, April 25, 2026.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the exercise would be held on the last Saturday of every month, between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., with movement restrictions in place across the state.
“The exercise will hold every last Saturday of the month between the hours of 6:30 am and 8:30 am. During this period, there will be controlled movement across the state to allow residents to carry out thorough cleaning of their homes, surroundings and drainage frontages,” he said.
Wahab disclosed that multiple agencies, including the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Kick Against Indiscipline, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and local government sanitation inspectors, would be deployed to monitor compliance.
According to him, officials will carry out inspections during and after the exercise, warning that offenders would face penalties under existing environmental laws.
“Conduct physical inspections during and after the sanitation window to ensure compliance,” he said, adding that “defaulters will be sanctioned in accordance with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017.”
He further noted that waste evacuation arrangements had been made, with LAWMA trucks scheduled to collect refuse generated during the exercise.
“LAWMA intervention trucks will go around to cart away bagged wastes generated during the exercise,” he said, adding that “there will be rewards for the cleanest Local Government Area, Local Council Development Area, and the cleanest street as part of efforts to encourage healthy competition and community participation.”
The commissioner called on residents to actively support the initiative.
“We urge all residents to take ownership of this exercise and join hands with the government in building a cleaner, safer and more sustainable Lagos.”
The clarification follows an earlier symbolic flag-off along the Mushin–Agege Motor Road corridor in March, ahead of full implementation.
The sanitation exercise is returning nearly a decade after it was suspended in 2016 following a court ruling against movement restrictions.
While the initiative has been welcomed by some residents as a step towards improved environmental hygiene and flood control, others have expressed concerns over enforcement, urging the government to ensure transparency and intensify public awareness on proper waste disposal.
