Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has warned residents and property developers against building on wetlands and drainage channels, cautioning that their destruction increases the state’s vulnerability to flooding and coastal erosion.
Sanwo-Olu spoke on Saturday during the Nigerian Conservation Foundation’s (NCF) 20th annual Walk for Nature at Makanjuola Hall, Lagos State University, Ojo, where he outlined measures being taken to address climate change and environmental degradation.
The event, themed Inspired for Climate Action, featured a road walk from the LASU campus in Ojo to Iyana School Bus Stop along the LASU-Isheri Road.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Dr Gaji Tajudeen, the governor said Lagos’s coastal location, low-lying terrain and growing population made wetland conservation essential to public safety.
“Our wetlands, mangroves and lagoons are our first line of defence against floods and coastal erosion. Where they are filled or built over, water has nowhere to go, and gravity exacts the price,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu said the state government had banned styrofoam and other single-use plastics, adding that enforcement had been ongoing since July 2025 as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability.
He said the government was also working with innovators to develop sustainable alternatives while promoting environmental education in schools and communities.
On wetland protection, the governor disclosed that the government suspended reclamation activities affecting wetlands, floodplains and lagoon fronts in September 2025 where the required environmental impact assessments and other approvals had not been obtained.
“Our position is simple. Development in Lagos must pass the test of drainage and environmental approval, including the necessary environmental impact assessments and approvals,” he said.
The governor added that the government was investing in drainage infrastructure, mangrove restoration, tree planting and park development to strengthen the state’s natural defences against flooding and rising temperatures.
He urged residents to keep refuse out of drains, avoid single-use plastics and refrain from constructing buildings on wetlands and drainage channels.
Sanwo-Olu also encouraged young people to separate their waste, plant trees and promote environmental responsibility in their hostels, on campus and in surrounding communities.
He commended the NCF for sustaining environmental advocacy over the past two decades, expressing hope that the next 20 years would deliver measurable progress in conservation and climate action.
