Panelists at a webinar held ahead of World Environment Day 2025 have urged stricter enforcement of Nigeria’s environmental laws to deter further environmental violations.
The webinar was titled: “From Pollution to Innovation: Aligning Policy, Enterprise and Community for Sustainable Waste Solutions in Nigeria”.
Dr Tunde Ajayi, General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said Lagos had strong policies, but implementation and enforcement remained a major challenge.
Ajayi warned that without tougher consequences, environmental offences would persist unchecked and worsen over time.
Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, CEO of Sterling One Foundation, said Nigeria had commendable environmental policies needing better integration of circular economy principles.
She acknowledged Lagos State’s active partnerships but called for a stronger framework for enforcement, monitoring and evaluation.
According to her, involving stakeholders was key to ensuring policies were fully implemented and sustained.
Mr. Olumide Lala, Co-Founder of Climate Transition Ltd, advocated including waste management in the national educational curriculum.
He urged households to begin sorting waste at the source for effective recycling and disposal.
Lala also called for full enforcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy across all sectors.
Mr. Obuesi Phillips of SWEEP Foundation proposed a dialogue between policymakers and grassroots communities for better policy alignment.
Another discussant, Dr Osuji Otu, advised the government to partner with the private sector, particularly in environmental policy formulation and execution.
By Fabian Ekeruche