The Lagos State government has expressed its intention and readiness to collaborate with investors in the areas of municipal solid waste-to-energy, waste-to-wealth, and liquid waste management.
The state’s Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this while participating as a panellist at the Harvard University Climate Action Week with the theme: “Rising Seas, Resilient Communities, Climate Adaptation Strategies in West Africa.”
According to him, the current administration in Lagos State has developed a climate adaptation plan and a climate resilience plan that encapsulate its vision and policies.
He explained that the state has already conducted two pre-feasibility studies on waste-to-energy and wastewater projects to demonstrate its commitment.
He added that with a population of over 20 million generating 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, the state is adopting a sustainable, climate-friendly approach that treats waste as a resource.
The Commissioner said Lagos, as a coastal city, is exposed to the effects of climate change, sea level rise, heavy rainfall, and excessive heat, which result in flash flooding when tidal lock prevents water from discharging into its natural channels.
He noted that, as a responsible government, the state has put in place resilient drainage infrastructure and continues to push back against individuals who choose to build on floodplains and drainage setbacks.
“We also prosecute those who wilfully destroy the ecosystem. We are doing our bit. We also tell citizens to desist from dumping municipal waste in the drainage. It is a recipe for flooding,” he said.
Wahab lamented that aerial geographic information has shown Lagos’ original landmass of 3,577 sq. m has expanded to 4,050 sq. m due to the massive reclamation of wetlands and lagoon water bodies for real estate construction.
He stressed that the state has been exercising its legal powers to check the excesses associated with such human activity by insisting that anyone intending to embark on reclamation must obtain Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) approval.
He added that such applications must also include a drainage master plan to demonstrate how stormwater from the reclamation will be properly discharged into water bodies.
