The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), in partnership with the Air Quality Monitoring and Research Group (AQMRG) of the University of Lagos, the Evidence Use in Environmental Policy-making in Nigeria (EUEPIN-EESKT), the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), and AirQo of Makerere University, has convened a stakeholders’ validation workshop on the Pan-Sectoral Air Quality Management Action Plan for Lagos State.
The Workshop,which was held at the LASEPA Headquarters in Alausa, Ikeja, brought together a wide range of participants including; mid- to top-level researchers, policymakers, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), private sector representatives, media professionals, and other key stakeholders committed to improving air quality across Lagos.
The validation workshop was designed to deepen collaboration and engagement among sectors, with participants divided into breakout groups to provide targeted input on the different components of the draft Air Quality Management Action Plan.
Speaking during the opening session, the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi, expressed optimism about the collaborative effort and the path forward.
He stated that hosting the validation workshop for the Air Quality Management Action Plan in Lagos, with representatives from academia, industry, and government agencies including the State Ministry of Transportation, is a critical step toward ensuring that Lagosians breathe clean air.
He emphasized that the workshop would strengthen regulatory efforts around air quality and set the stage for improved compliance.
Dr. Ajayi also noted that future engagements will further define roles and responsibilities among stakeholders in managing air quality in Lagos.
Dr Rose Alani, the Group Lead of AQMRG, and the Principal Investigator (PI) of the project, in her welcome remark, thanked all the stakeholders present for setting aside their time to participate in the workshop.
She went further to briefly describe air pollution as one of the most serious environmental and public health challenges of our time, laying emphasis on it’s impacts ranging from increased respiratory and cardiovascular diseases to negative effects on ecosystems, agriculture, and the economy at large.
Dr. Alani added that “Tackling air pollution is a multidisciplinary challenge that requires partnership between scientists, practitioners, governments, industries, and citizens, NGOs, media and everyone”.
She therefore urged the stakeholders to actively participate by sharing their expertise, experiences, questions and contributions that will enrich the discussions and help co-create solutions that suit our local contexts in Lagos.
At the conclusion of the workshop, it was resolved that LASEPA, in collaboration with other relevant arms of the Lagos State Government and its partners, would incorporate the feedback gathered into the final version of the action plan.
The ultimate goal is to ensure its effective implementation, with measurable improvements in air quality over time.
The workshop represents a major milestone in the journey toward an evidence-informed, cross-sectoral air quality management framework for Lagos State, paving the way for a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable urban environment.
The workshop which was facilitated by EUEPiN -EESKT members in persons of Dr. Temitope Sogbanmu (EUEPiN -EESKT Lead), Dr. Maria Buraimoh, Prof Christopher Okiki and Dr. Bolajoko Malomo, ended on a very successful note.