Lagos Transformation: Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab on the City’s Evolution

Lagos Isn’t Smelling: A Fresh Perspective from Water and Environment Commissioner

​Lagos State Commissioner for Water and Environment, Tokunbo Wahab, recently addressed misconceptions about the city’s environmental status, asserting that “Lagos is not smelling; Lagos is evolving.” ​

In his statement, Wahab highlighted several key initiatives undertaken by the Lagos State Government to enhance the city’s environmental health:​

• Public Sanitation Facilities: The state has established 1,710 public toilets to combat open defecation and improve public hygiene.
• Waste Management: Lagos generates approximately 13,000 tonnes of waste daily. The government is transforming this challenge into an opportunity by implementing recycling and energy recovery initiatives, converting waste into valuable resources.
• Landfill Rehabilitation: Efforts are underway to systematically close hazardous landfills, replacing them with modern waste processing facilities to ensure sustainable waste management.
• Flood Control and Tree Planting: The government has expanded drainage maintenance and initiated strategic tree-planting programs, with 54,386 trees planted, to bolster the city’s resilience against environmental threats.

Wahab emphasized that these efforts signify Lagos’s transformation into a cleaner, more sustainable metropolis, countering any negative perceptions about the city’s environmental condition.