Lagos State Government has called on the Federal Government to partner with it and its agencies in tightening regulations and enforcement for industrial pollution.

General Manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Dr Babatunde Ajayi, who spoke yesterday, during the grand finale of the 2026 Inter-tertiary Institutions’ Environmental Summit 2 Debate Competition themed: “Combating Transboundary Pollution in Lagos State: A city-level intervention or a national effort, said: “The Federal Government needs to tighten regulations and enforcement across South-West and Nigeria. We know it is a difficult job, but it needs to partner more with states to tighten regulations, particularly for industrial pollution.”

According to him, the debate was organised by LASEPA as part of its advocacy efforts that target young minds and university communities.

He added that the theme of the debate was inspired by the pollution recorded some months back at the border of Lagos and Ogun states.”

“We thought it was important that we start this conversation at the tertiary institutions level because globally, sound ideas and innovation start in universities. We think that the brightest minds are in these institutions,” he stated.

He said that since the pollution occurred, Lagos had improved monitoring, aside from putting in place early warning and alarm systems that have significantly helped its oversight activities, particularly around the industries along the border corridor.

In his address, Special Adviser on Environment to the Governor, Olakunle Akodu, commended LASEPA for organising the debate, which demonstrates LASEPA’s commitment to nurturing a generation that is environmentally conscious, innovative and solution-driven.

“Let me therefore commend LASEPA for consistently placing youths at the heart of its environmental advocacy programmes. Such initiatives are essential to achieving the vision of a greener, cleaner, healthier and more sustainable Lagos under the administration of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu,” he said.

He noted that health and environment constitute a critical pillar of the T.H.E.M.E.S+ development agenda of Sanwo-Olu’s administration.

Akodu, therefore, urged LASEPA to sustain its efforts in implementing government policies and programmes aimed at environmental protection, pollution control and ecosystem preservation.

However, over 300 students participated in the debate from which six were shortlisted for the grand finale, with Fajana Mary, a 300-level student of Mass Communication, Lagos State University (LASU), emerging the winner, while Yakub Abdulah Eniola of the University of Lagos (UNILAG) and Daniel Oluwatise Akinkuowo, also of UNILAG, came second and third respectively.