THE Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has disclosed that noise pollution topped environmental complaints in the state in 2025, accounting for 3,300 of the 8,437 reports received throughout the year.
The agency’s General Manager, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, revealed this yesterday during LASEPA’s Annual Performance Appraisal and Media Parley held in Ikeja.
He said the agency shut down 244 facilities—including hotels, churches, mosques, and warehouses—between January and December for breaching environmental regulations.
Ajayi explained that the closures followed sustained monitoring and enforcement activities across residential areas, markets, service centres, and places of worship.
He added that more than 200 hospitality facilities were inspected, while 180 abatement notices were issued over offences such as raw sewage discharge and land or water pollution.
According to him, enforcement actions in chemical and industrial facilities helped curb incidents such as fires and chemical spills, citing a joint intervention at the Ojota Chemical Market with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
To address air quality concerns, Ajayi said LASEPA installed two smokeless kiln machines at the Ago-Egun Ilaje fishing community to protect women’s health and improve productivity.
He also disclosed that the agency deployed low-cost air quality sensors in collaboration with partners, releasing weekly data from 114 monitoring points, with plans to scale up to 200 by the end of 2026.
While noting that many noise-related cases were resolved without sealing affected premises, Ajayi stressed the importance of prevention, saying that every ₦1 spent on environmental protection saves about ₦40 in healthcare costs.
He added that religious leaders and nightclub operators had signed undertakings under the Noiseless Lagos Advocacy to reduce excessive noise.
On public health, Ajayi said LASEPA worked with the Ministry of Health to conduct water quality tests aimed at preventing cholera and other waterborne diseases.
He further revealed that environmental factors account for about 25 per cent of illnesses reported in health facilities across the state.
Looking ahead, Ajayi said the agency would deepen collaboration with other institutions to better protect residents, while commending the Lagos State Government for investing in one of the country’s most advanced environmental laboratories.