The Lagos State Government (LASG) has approved a temporary reduction in the cost of replacing faded and damaged vehicle number plates from ₦30,000 to ₦20,000, as part of a three-month amnesty and rebate window scheduled to run from January to March 2026.
The initiative, approved by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, is targeted at both private and commercial vehicle owners across the state. It is aimed at improving vehicle identification, strengthening the state’s security architecture, and enhancing road safety.
The Permanent Secretary, Motor Vehicle Administration Agency (MVAA), Rasheed Muri-Okunola, said that the rebate is a deliberate, citizen-focused intervention designed to encourage motorists to voluntarily replace worn, faded, or illegible number plates at a significantly reduced cost.
According to him, the condition of vehicle number plates has direct implications for security, traffic enforcement, and crime prevention, as unreadable plates hinder effective monitoring, investigation, and identification of vehicles.
“Clear and readable number plates are fundamental to public safety and security. This amnesty period allows motorists to replace faded plates at ₦20,000 instead of ₦30,000, thereby reducing the financial burden while supporting collective efforts to make Lagos safer,” he said.
He noted that the rebate is valid strictly within the January to March 2026 window, urging vehicle owners with faded or damaged number plates to take advantage of the opportunity by visiting the Pilot Centre at the Oshodi One-Stop Centre or any of the agency’s 140 stations across the state for the replacement process.
Muri-Okunola added that the initiative responds to rising security concerns associated with unreadable number plates, stressing that legible and standardised plates are critical to crime detection, traffic management, digital vehicle tracking, and emergency response systems.
He, however, warned that at the expiration of the three-month amnesty in March 2026, the replacement fee would revert to the original ₦30,000, while enforcement measures would be fully applied to ensure compliance.
Lagos State Government had a strategic attendance at the 79th session of the UnitedNations General Assembly (UNGA) held in New York, United States, where Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, led engagements at key side events, discussing challenges and projecting prospects of the State’s sustainability vision. WALE AJETUNMOBI, the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media in the State’s team to the UN Assembly, writes.
Harsh weather, environmental degradation, rising poverty and economic inequality are all empirical evidence pointing towards the reality of climate change. But, inaction to address these existential threats will hurt the planet and could cost the global economy $178 trillion by 2070.
This was the submission of the Special Adviser to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, who gave a keynote speech at Dialogues and Action Plans event tagged: “The Future of Work”, held as a side event during the 79th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, United States.
Global efforts to reverse the trend have spurred a new culture of work– the green economy, which, Finnih said, could potentially boost the global economy by $43 trillion over the next five decades if fully transitioned.
In her address titled: “The Nexus Between SDGs,Green Economy and The Future of Work”, Finnih said Nigeria remained one of the developing nations being affected by the devastating impacts of climate change, stressing the deliverable objectives outlined in the SDGs served as universal agenda to achieve comprehensive sustainable development by addressing the challenges confronting the planet andpeople.
The evolving culture of work, she submitted, was in line with the outcome of SDGs which aims to reconfigure the global economy to a green model –an economy in which humans can thrive without harming the planet.
Finnih called for collective action that would channela sustained investment into green assets and ancillary infrastructure that can aid transitioning to a business model that would be kind to the environment and bring about social equity in human communities.
Green economy, she said, would not only ensure sustainable consumption pattern that would stem depletion of natural resources, but also will activate reordering of nature’s ecosystem.
She said: “Yes, the future of work is green. The green economy shapes the future of work. A green economy is one in which humans thrive without harming the planet. It is an economy that is kind to the environment and signals social equity. It is a world where human population lives better andembraces sustainable consumption patterns that do not deplete natural resources.
“Putting it more practically, a green economy ischaracterised by stakeholder investment in assets,infrastructure and economic activities that improve the triple bottom line: people, planet and profit. A green economy will catalyse clean transiting options,renewable energy, sustainable agriculture systems, acircular economy, green buildings, green finance,environmental awareness and green jobs. Theseinvestments reduce carbon footprint and pollution,enhance energy and resource efficiency, preservebiodiversity, and ensure the physical and psychosocial well-being of humanity.”
Finnih said the global labour market was alreadyexperiencing a shift towards the green economy where jobs and skill requirements were being reconfigured to be SDG-compatible.
In 2023, she said the World Economic Forumconfirmed the growth of green labour market, stating that the United States green job market was expected to climb to about 24 million jobs by 2030. Similar pattern, she said, was being noticed in Europe where energy sector would shift significantly towards solar source by the end of the decade, creating about 4 million green jobs.
Finnih noted that industries had started to evolveSDG-compliant business models, with various organisations becoming advocates of sustainability.
“Non-green jobs will experience an unavoidable contraction in labour demand, which implies a complete phase-out or sectors growing increasinglygreen. The inevitably repercussions may include a high unemployment rate, low standard of living,increased inequality and a low-gear economy.
As a nation, we must be more intentionally prepared. Nigeria and other developing nations must kick-start an adoption of sustainable operations across industries and sectors. The task before us is to drivean industry-wide revamp that places us on par with global standards,” she said.
Sustainable financing key to addressing shortfall in Lagos water assets
Water crisis in Lagos – Nigeria’s largest city – was comprehensively assessed at a forum attended by various international partners who showed their willingness to commit technical assistance and investments towards ramping up infrastructure and supply services on a set of criteria.
The need to foster collaboration and harness strategic investment to address clean water shortage and inadequate sanitation in populous cities became the crux of the discussion at Water-Secure Cities Roundtable, a side meeting in the 79th UNGA session.
The event, which was co-hosted by the World Bank’s 2030 Water Resources Group (WRG) and Reckitt, had in attendance the Lagos State Government’s team led by the Special Adviser on SDGs, Dr. Finnih.
The 2030 WRG is a multi-donor trust fund managed by the World Bank’s Global Water Practice that advances the role of the private in addressing global water insecurity and climate change impacts together with government and civil society.
Finnih told stakeholders at the roundtable that Lagos – a coastal city – daily battled a significant shortfall supplies of clean water, stressing that the existing assets could only support supply to less than half of the State’s 22 million residents.
She said population expansion occasioned by migration to the city had raised the demand for potable water and sanitation facilities, thereby increasing the pressure on the existing infrastructure.
To address the shortages, Finnih said the effort would require a holistic approach that would channel a focused financing in production assets and distribution networks in order to restructure the water supply market and raise efficiency.
She said: “Going by the assessment of current watersupply capacity in Lagos, there is a clear indication that we have a huge shortfall in meeting the demand of the population. The requirement for water in Lagos is about 510 million gallons per day. We need partnership to accelerate our fulfillment of the 17 Goals of the SDGs, by ensuring that we put proper structure in place.
“We need to build new purification systems at the production end of the market. We to have rehabilitate the reticulation facilities and integrate technological solutions to regulate consumption and waste. These inadequacies can only be resolved if we have committed partners who are ready to these observed challenges to sustainable social and economic opportunities.”
Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainages in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Engr. Olakunle Adegbite, observed the inadequacies experienced in water supply had led to the depletion of underground water, as residents found alternative sources of water.
Adegbite said the first layer of the State’s aquifer had dried up, resulting from proliferation of boreholes in Lagos. This, he said, posed a threat to the State’s underground water composition.
He said Lagos Government had responded to the situation by improving the governance structure of the State’s water management sector.
“This year, we have rolled out the WASH Policy which is intended to expand the role of private sector in the provision of clean water. It is obvious that the government cannot do everything alone. We have set the policy to ensure accountability, which will catalyse private investment in this sector,” Adegbite said.
Global Director for the World Bank’s Water Global Practice (GP), Saroj Jha, said adequate provision of clean water was key to solving global poverty, noting that developing countries spent an average of 1.2 per cent of annual budget on water.
Jha said African countries’ spending on water was a far cry from the global benchmark, making the challenges more difficult to overcome.
“There will never be end to water shortages without active participation of the private sector. Government must ensure that private sector is involved in every discussion on water supply and sanitation,” the World Bank chief said.
Other discussant at the roundtable included founder of Wellbeing Foundation Africa and former First Lady of Kwara State, Mrs. Toyin Saraki, and Executive Vice President of Reckitt in North America, Eric Gilliot, among others.
Investment opportunities
The Water-Secure Cities Roundtable session was followed by a private meeting with the Lagos State Government team in which talks around possible investments were held with a group of investors.
At the meeting, the parties engaged in conversation around modalities for bringing private capital and low-interest financing to finance Lagos State’s water sector in order to increased output.
There were also discussions on integration of technological innovation to solve existing inadequacies and optimising the assets.
Future-proofing Lagos health care system: How Sanwo-Olu is working towards the goal
Lagos State, at the Climate Week event organised for C40 Cities in New York City, shared its progress on how it has raised manpower, service efficiency and productivity across its
Rear Admiral Ibikunle Olaiya (Retd) has protested the illegal sale of green areas near Block 113, Lekki Phase 1 by officials of the Lagos State Government.
He said it was against the original master plan that reserved the space for essential public infrastructure.
The retired officer wrote separate letters to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Commissioner for Environment Tokunbo Wahab for himself and on behalf of concerned Lagosians and residents in the Lekki axis.
He stated that it was a matter of grave concern that the green areas had been allocated to someone who had begun construction.
Titled, “Urgent attention needed: illegal sales of Green Areas near Block 113, Lekki Phase 1” and dated April 26, 2024, Admiral Olaiya said those areas are being sold for personal gains.
His words: “Despite designated green spaces intended for essential infrastructural development, such as road and drainage expansions, and the construction of a light train to accommodate the growing population, these areas are being unlawfully sold for personal gain.
“It is disheartening to witness such actions, particularly considering the significant investments and efforts made in the Lekki-Epe axis over the years.
“Your administration’s commitment to infrastructure development, education, and the preservation of the state’s original master plan has been commendable.
“However, it is troubling to see certain individuals tarnish these efforts by engaging in illegal allocations, especially under your watch as a surveyor by profession.”
Attaching the Survey Plan of Block 113 as evidence, the petitioner implored the governor to address the issue with the seriousness it deserves.
The mantra “Eko oni baje”, he stated, resonates deeply and emphasises the need to uphold the integrity of the city.
He, therefore, urged him to intervene and halt these illegal activities.
In the letter to the Commissioner, he warned that there could be grave consequences in future “if this illegality is allowed to thrive and the good actions of the Lagos State Government to demolish houses built on canals and setbacks would be difficult to justify.”
The petitioner wondered why such should be occurring despite the existence of regulatory bodies like the Ministry of Physical Planning and the New Town Development Agency, tasked with overseeing development in the area.
“Permit me to thank you for your prompt response by sending your enforcement task force to stop the illegal construction work and to commend you for the good works you’ve been doing in your Ministry.
“It is, therefore, disheartening to note that some unscrupulous officials of the state want to tarnish all these works with the illegal allocation and construction on the green areas by proxy,” he stated, urging him to remain resolute in dealing with the issue.
Before the recent letters, he had through his lawyer, Abosede Akande of Law Corporate, petitioned the governor, Ministry of Environment, Ministry of Physical Planning, Ministry of Lands as well as Police authorities, explaining that the green areas were designated for future road expansion and erosion management.
While the Commissioner for Environment ordered that construction should stop, the office of the governor minuted the complaint letter to the office of the Attorney General, who in a letter signed by a deputy director, Adekunle Laditan, dated January 25, requested for the survey plan of the area “for necessary action on the petition accordingly.”
However, while waiting for the outcome of the AG’s intervention after supplying it with the survey plan, “unknown persons”, he said, attempted to begin construction in the designated area, prompting him to petition the Police to stop them.
Reacting to this “interruption”, counsel to the developer, Gainsville Limited, Prof Dayo Amokaye (SAN), in a pre-action letter explained that Gainsville is the beneficial owner of the property by a Statutory Right of Occupancy granted by the Executive Governor of Lagos State and evidenced by a Certificate of Occupancy and a subsequent Deed of Assignment.
He wrote: “Sometime on Friday, March 15, 2024, you deployed naval personnel illegally to intimidate, harass, and violently prevent its workers and agents from taking physical possession of their land and thereby frustrated them from undertaking their contractual obligation to development the land under the mistaken belief and assumption that the said land is a green field appurtenant to your land.
“Our client views this action of yours as a trespass on its land and an unnecessary obstruction primarily to frustrate any development on its land.
“We write to inform you that our client is the bona-fide owner of the above-mentioned property having derived its title under a lawfully granted Statutory Certificate of Occupancy issued by the Executive Governor of Lagos State whose authority and power to manage, control and allocate land to individuals and corporate entities in Lagos State is well enshrined in the Land Use Act, 1978.
“Our client is a reputable and law-abiding corporate organisation and will not unlawfully enter any land without the necessary legal documentation and has not in any manner whatsoever encroached or trespassed on your developed property.
“As a peace-loving corporate organisation, and as required under Order 2 Rule 1(a)(v)(a – c) of the Rules of Lagos State High (Civil Procedure) Rules, our client is open to resolution of the unnecessary and unwarranted confrontation and threats issued by you based on your presumptuous assumptions and erroneous beliefs.”
He warned that if the complaints do not desist from further entering his clients’ land and obstructing any of its agents from lawfully taking physical possession and effecting development and/or trespassing on the land, they shall have no other option than to use all legitimate means to protect its proprietary interest in the land.
Meanwhile, Akande, counsel to the complainants, in his response denied that his clients deployed naval personnel to chase away the developers, adding that it was the developer who rather engaged fully armed policemen to forcibly take possession of the land.
He insisted that the land is designated a green verge area that must not be constructed on, explaining that when his clients wanted to build in the space and sought the permission of the authorities, they were categorically denied on the ground that no development would take place there except for road expansion and erosion management.
He asked the lawyer to advise his client to follow the due process of the law by halting further construction on the site and waiting for the outcome of the investigation already kick-started by the office of the Attorney General of Lagos State.
