By Lagos on Single-Use Plastics
To Enforce Ban come July 1, 2025
Summary
- Lagos State Government confirms July 1, 2025, as start date for full enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs).
- 18-month transition period provided to producers and stakeholders for compliance.
- Commissioner Tokunbo Wahab warns against undermining the system, urges producer accountability.
Lagos, Nigeria — The Lagos State Government has announced that full statewide enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) will commence on July 1, 2025.
The declaration was made over the weekend during a courtesy visit to the Honourable Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, by the management team of Tetra Pak West Africa Limited, led by Managing Director Mr. Haithem Debbiche.
Speaking at the Alausa Secretariat, Wahab explained that the state has been intentional and strategic in its approach. He noted that when the government banned Styrofoam food packs in 2024, it also announced its intention to phase out all SUPs within 12 months.
“We believe we have given everyone ample opportunity to transition,” he said. “We didn’t begin enforcement in January 2025 as initially planned, but July 1 is now the date, and heavens will not fall.”
Wahab stressed the importance of responsibility among producers, citing multiple engagements—including one with members of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBBRA)—and the provision of an additional six months to aid transition.
“This is about extended producer responsibility,” he said. “Producers who undermine the system are attempting what is no longer accepted anywhere in the world.”
He emphasized that those pushing back against the ban are often well-traveled and aware that such practices are outdated globally. “If 18 months is not enough time for transition, then it means some producers are not serious,” he said.
The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to a cleaner Lagos, promising strict enforcement similar to the Styrofoam ban. “Let them say of us that we did the right thing at the right time for the greater good,” he added.
Wahab also urged companies to maintain transparency with the state government and warned against blind-siding authorities, stating that global standards require producers to track their products and take responsibility for their collection and recycling.
In response, Mr. Haithem Debbiche of Tetra Pak expressed support for the SUPs ban, describing it as a welcome development and pledging the company’s cooperation with the state.
The statement was signed by Kunle Adeshina, Director of Public Affairs at the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, on May 18, 2025.
