Lagos begins enforcement of ban on single-use plastics from July 1

A complete prohibition on the use and distribution of single-use plastics starting July 1, 2025, has been alluded to by the Lagos State government.

During a courtesy visit to Alausa by the management of TETRA PAK West Africa Limited, Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, made the announcement.

In January 2024, the Lagos State Government said that the state will no longer allow the use or distribution of single-use plastics, including Styrofoam.

In a statement, Wahab said that the decision was made in response to the environmental threat posed by single-use plastics, particularly the non-biodegradable Styrofoam.

However, during the courtesy visit, the environment minister stated that the state's prohibition on SUPs has been quite deliberate and purposeful.

The decision to outlaw single-use plastics in Lagos since the start of 2025 was an existential one, he said, for a number of reasons.

With a land area of just 3,575 square kilometers, Lagos is a coastal state below sea level that is home to around 10% of the nation's population. This is a recipe for disaster on its own. The decision to outlaw Styrofoam food packaging in 2024 was not made at random.

“When we announced the ban on Styrofoam food packs in 2024, we also declared that during the next 12 months, we will phase out all single-use plastics.

Since it is been nearly 18 months, we think we have given everyone enough time to adjust. Without any significant problems, enforcement will start on July 1, 2025, rather than in January of this year.

Wahab clarified that a 70% compliance rate has been noted and that state representatives are continuously interacting with the Food and Beverages Recyclers Alliance.

Everyone involved must be fair to the state, he continued, if the government held discussions with FBBRA members earlier in the year and after a 12-month cycle with an extra six months to allow them to adjust.

"It is a call for the extended producers to be responsible to the state," he said.

"We think it is reasonable to start enforcing the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) by July 1st, much like we did for Styrofoam food packs in Lagos State," he said.

Haithem Debbiche, the managing director of Tetra Park West Africa Limited, had earlier declared that his company completely supports the decision and called the embargo a welcome move.