The Lagos State government has hinted at a full ban on the usage and distribution of Single Use Plastics (SUPs) from July 1, 2025.
Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the announcement at Alausa during a courtesy visit by the management of TETRA PAK West Africa Limited.
He said the state has been very strategic and intentional about the ban of SUPs. His words: “The decision to ban Single Use Plastics (SUPs) in Lagos since the beginning of 2025 was an existential choice due to several factors.
Lagos is a coastal state below sea level with a land mass of only 3,575 square kilometres, and about 10 per cent of the country’s population. This alone is a recipe for a crisis. We did not randomly decide to ban Styrofoam food packs in 2024.
“When we announced the ban on Styrofoam food packs in 2024, we also stated that within the next 12 months, we will phase out all single-use plastics.
“It has been almost 18 months now, and we believe that we have given everyone ample time to transition. Enforcement did not begin in January this year, but will start on July 1, 2025, without any major issues.”
Wahab explained that state officials are constantly engaging the Food and Beverages Recyclers Alliance (FBBRA), and a compliance rate of 70 per cent has been recorded.
He added that if the government had conversations with FBBRA members earlier in the year, and after a 12-month cycle with an additional six months to allow people to adjust, then everyone involved must be fair to the state, noting: “It is a call for the responsibility of the extended producers to the state.”
“By July 1st, we will begin full enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) like we did for Styrofoam food packs in Lagos State, which we believe is reasonable,” he stated.
Earlier, the Managing Director of Tetra Park West Africa Limited, Haithem Debbiche, said the embargo is a welcome development, asserting that his organisation fully supports the decision.
