There is an immediate concern for the government of Lagos state. It is the challenge that climate change brings to people of the state, which poses danger to their health and the infrastructure provided to make life easy for them. That was stated by the State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab. He was speaking on Sunday, in Nice, France at the ongoing United Nations (UN) Ocean Conference.
Wahab outlined the urgent challenges Lagos is grappling with, including rising sea levels, extreme rainfall events, and intensifying heat waves. The Commissioner described all these as “severe climate risks” to the state’s infrastructure, economy, and livelihoods.
That should be a cause for concern for a state with an estimated 25 million population and Nigeria’s most populous coastal state.
Wahab said on X, the micro media platform that “As a coastal state, Lagos faces severe climate risks; rising sea levels, extreme rainfall, and excessive heat.” He, however , gave the assurance that the state would not give in to these challenges. He said, “But we are not sitting back”.
That is not the only thing his ministry is tackling. He said while the state generates over 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, the government had decided that rather than allow the waste to be a health hazard, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is shifting away from a traditional linear waste disposal system to a circular economy model.
This new approach focuses on waste recovery, recycling, and conversion into energy — a move aimed at reducing environmental degradation and creating sustainable economic opportunities.
Wahab also emphasised the state’s broader environmental agenda, which includes safeguarding its coastline and investing in long-term strategies to make Lagos more sustainable and climate-resilient.
He said, “We are building resilient infrastructure, investing in drainage systems, and transforming how we manage plastic waste.”
Not only that, he said, “We’re committed to protecting our coastline and building a safer, resilient, environmentally friendly and more sustainable Lagos that we can bequeath to the next generation”.
The UN Ocean Conference, which involves world leaders, policymakers, scientists, and environmental advocates, provides a global platform for urgent dialogue on ocean protection and climate action.
The 2025 UN Ocean Conference, co-hosted by the Governments of France and Costa Rica, will be held from 9 to 13 June.
The Conference will focus on the theme: “Accelerating Action and Mobilising All Actors to Conserve and Sustainably Use the Ocean.”
Its primary goal is to advance the implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14) through three key priorities, culminating in the development of an ambitious Nice Ocean Action Plan.
