Vehicle emissions drive 70% of Lagos air pollution —Agency

The Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) has identified vehicle emissions as the dominant source of the choking smog that clouds the city, contributing to 70 percent of Lagos’ air pollution.

Babatunde Ajayi, LASEPA’s general manager, made the disclosure on Wednesday via his official X handle, describing vehicular emissions as an “invisible threat” that the agency is tackling through stricter enforcement measures.

“Did you know 70% of Lagos’ choking smog comes from vehicle emissions?” Ajayi wrote.

“At LASEPA, we’re tackling this invisible threat head-on. We have checked over 12,000 vehicles this year alone in our emissions crackdown. Every compliant vehicle means cleaner air for all of us.”

Ajayi said the agency enforces strict annual inspections for vehicular emissions in a bid to curb air pollution from transport sources.

The crackdown is part of broader efforts to address worsening air quality in Africa’s most populous city, where millions rely on vehicles, many of them aging and poorly maintained, for daily movement.

The agency’s latest Air Quality Index, released earlier in the week, highlights pollution disparities across Lagos.

According to the index, areas like Egbeda in Alimosho and the NIMET office in Oshodi recorded the cleanest air quality in the state.

Meanwhile, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) corridor, Kosofe, and Victoria Island ranked lowest with the most polluted air.

Air pollution in Lagos has long been a public health concern. The city’s mix of high population density, traffic congestion, and industrial activity makes it a hotspot for poor air quality.

Consequently, long-term exposure to smog and pollutants can lead to respiratory diseases, heart conditions, and premature death.