Lagos boldly reinstates monthly environmental sanitation after nearly a decade, marking a significant public health revival aimed at improving cleanliness and environmental hygiene across the state.

The Lagos State Government has officially reinstated its monthly environmental sanitation exercise, ending a suspension that lasted almost ten years.

Residents across parts of the state took part in the exercise on Saturday, with compliance recorded in areas such as Ikoyi, Obalende, and Ikorodu, where people were seen cleaning their surroundings.

The revived programme will now run for two hours, from 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., a reduction from the previous three-hour window of 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

The sanitation exercise was initially suspended in 2016 following a court ruling that declared the restriction of movement during the period unconstitutional.

Ahead of its return, the government explained that movement would be regulated during the exercise hours to allow residents to properly clean their homes, surroundings, and drainage systems.

The Lagos Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, confirmed that the exercise will be held on the last Saturday of every month.

He said, “Following the symbolic flag-off of the monthly environmental sanitation exercis along the Mushin–Agege Motor Road corridor on Saturday, March 14, 2026, I wish to provide further clarity on the modalities of the programme as we prepare for the first exercise on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

“The exercise will hold every last Saturday of the month between 6:30 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. During this period, there will be controlled movement across the state to enable residents carry out thorough cleaning of their homes, surroundings, and drainage frontages.”