Sanwo-Olu urges Lagosians to plant trees against climate change

Johnson Idowu

Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Tuesday urged residents to actively plant and nurture trees as part of efforts to build a greener and more climate-resilient state, saying the government aims to plant at least 20,000 trees this year.

The governor also disclosed that 13,401 trees, representing 67 per cent of the annual target, had already been planted across the five divisions of the state as of June 30, while a new planting season would continue throughout the rainy season until October.

This was contained in a statement made available to PUNCH Online by the spokesperson for the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Adekunle Adeshina, on Tuesday.

Speaking at the 2026 Tree Planting Day celebration held at Eko Amore Gardens, Freedom Way, Lekki, Sanwo-Olu said tree planting remained one of the state’s key nature-based strategies for addressing climate change and environmental degradation.

Represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, the governor stressed that planting trees alone was not enough, urging residents to ensure that every tree planted survives and matures.

He said, “We are not just planting trees; we are planting hope and a lasting legacy. Together, we can build a Lagos that is cooler, cleaner, safer, flood-resilient and more beautiful for future generations.”

Sanwo-Olu added that trees play a critical role in cooling the environment, improving air quality, reducing flood risks, and promoting healthier communities.

He announced the commencement of a fresh planting campaign across the state’s 57 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas and directed council chairmen to serve as “Tree Custodians” responsible for protecting and monitoring trees within their jurisdictions.

The governor also reminded residents that anyone who unlawfully cuts down a tree is required under state law to replace it with five others.

He further unveiled 20 Lagos Tree Champions, comprising individuals and organisations recognised for their contributions to the state’s greening initiative, while encouraging residents to obtain free tree seedlings from LASPARK nurseries in Ikorodu and Agege.

Earlier, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, described the annual exercise as a strategic intervention aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change and promoting environmental stewardship.

He said the 2026 theme, “Trees for Lagos: Our City, Our Responsibility,” underscored the need for collective action in protecting the environment.

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Wahab said, “The celebration goes beyond a ceremonial event. It serves as a reminder that protecting the environment is a shared responsibility.”

He added, “The increasing occurrence of extreme weather events, flooding, land degradation, biodiversity loss and rising temperatures across the globe underscores the urgent need for collective climate action, while tree planting remains one of the simplest and most effective nature-based solutions.”

According to the commissioner, all 57 LGAs and LCDAs have been designated as Tree Custodians and are expected to nurture and monitor newly planted trees for at least 12 months to improve their survival rates.

He urged Lagos residents to regard every tree planted as an investment in the future and embrace environmentally responsible practices that would preserve the state’s natural heritage.

Also speaking, the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs Oluremi Hamzat, said Lagos continued to face challenges arising from rapid urbanisation, rising temperatures, flooding and environmental degradation.

She said tree planting remained one of the simplest and most effective ways of improving air quality, reducing heat, preserving biodiversity and building resilient communities.

Hamzat noted that tree planting was more than an environmental exercise, describing it as an investment in the health, safety and prosperity of future generations.

She urged families, schools, faith-based organisations, market associations and private sector operators to make tree planting a way of life and leave a lasting environmental legacy.

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