LAGOS PLANTS 13,401 TREES, TARGETS 20,000 IN 2026 AS GREENING CAMPAIGN GATHERS PACE (PHOTOS)
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By ‘Sefiu Ajape
Lagos State has planted 13,401 trees, representing 67 per cent of its target of 20,000 trees, as the state government intensified efforts to expand its green infrastructure and strengthen climate resilience across the state.
The milestone was disclosed on Tuesday by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Bimbola Salu-Hundeyin, at the 2026 Lagos State Tree Planting Day held at Eko Amore Gardens, Freedom Way, Lekki Phase 1.
Speaking at the event organised by the Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), the governor said the 13,401 trees had been planted across the state’s five divisions as of June 30, 2026, while the government had commenced a new planting season across all 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) to exceed the 20,000-tree target.
According to him, the statewide campaign will continue throughout the rainy season until October to maximise tree survival and further expand the state’s green cover.
Sanwo-Olu said the initiative, with the theme “Trees for Lagos: Our City, Our Responsibility,” reflects the government’s commitment to tackling climate change through nature-based solutions.
Quoting Kenyan environmentalist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Wangari Maathai, the governor said, “Until you dig a hole, you plant a tree, you water it and make it survive, you have not done a thing. You are just talking,” adding that Lagos had moved beyond rhetoric to concrete environmental action.
He noted that rapid urbanisation had contributed to rising temperatures, flooding and environmental degradation, stressing that tree planting remains one of the most effective, affordable and sustainable ways of building climate resilience.
“Planting a tree is only the beginning; nurturing it to maturity is what truly counts,” he said, urging residents, schools, community associations, corporate organisations and religious bodies to actively participate in protecting the environment.
The governor also encouraged Lagos residents to obtain free tree seedlings from LASPARK’s nurseries in Ikorodu and Agege, urging them to plant and nurture trees in homes, schools, offices and communities.
Reiterating the state’s environmental regulations, Sanwo-Olu warned that anyone who unlawfully fells a tree without a permit is required under Lagos law to replace it with five trees, while calling on local councils to work closely with LASPARK to protect existing trees from vandalism and illegal felling.
Earlier, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, represented by the General Manager of LASPARK, Mrs. Adetoun Ibilola Popoola, described tree planting as one of the simplest but most impactful ways of addressing climate change, flooding, erosion, biodiversity loss and other environmental challenges.
He disclosed that all trees planted under the programme are geo-tagged and actively monitored to improve survival rates, adding that the remaining 6,599 trees required to meet the state’s target would be planted as part of the ongoing campaign.
Wahab further explained that each of the state’s 57 LGAs and LCDAs would serve as “Tree Custodians,” taking responsibility for nurturing and monitoring planted trees for at least 12 months after planting.
“Every tree planted today represents an investment in cleaner air, healthier ecosystems and a more sustainable future,” she said, emphasising that environmental sustainability requires collective action from government, communities, schools, businesses and development partners.
Also speaking, the wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Oluremi Hamzat, urged Lagos residents to embrace tree planting as a way of life, describing it as an investment in the health and prosperity of future generations.
She encouraged individuals, families, schools, organisations and market associations not only to plant trees but to nurture them to maturity, noting that lasting environmental benefits depend on sustained care.
As part of the celebration, dignitaries performed ceremonial tree planting and later toured Eko Amore Gardens, while students, environmental stakeholders, volunteers, corporate organisations, community representatives and other participants took part in the annual event.
The ceremony also featured the presentation of the Lagos Tree Champion Award to 20 individuals and organisations, including schools, estates and gardens, in recognition of their outstanding contributions to greening the state and promoting environmental sustainability.
Observed annually on July 14, Lagos State Tree Planting Day serves as a platform for encouraging residents and institutions to participate in afforestation efforts aimed at creating a greener, healthier and more climate-resilient state.
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