The Lagos State Government has unveiled a new environmental initiative aimed at combating climate change and rising urban temperatures, committing to planting 500 trees across the state while joining a global campaign to address extreme heat in cities.
The announcement was made last Friday at the 2026 World Environment Day celebration in Alausa, where officials warned that rapid urbanisation and climate change were increasing heat-related risks for residents.
Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Environment, Olalekan Rotimi-Akodu, called for greater adoption of nature-based solutions, including tree planting, ecosystem restoration and urban greening, to strengthen climate resilience.
He said forests, wetlands and green spaces remain among the most effective tools for mitigating climate impacts and improving the quality of life in rapidly growing cities.
“Rapid urbanisation, population growth, traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and the replacement of natural landscapes with concrete and asphalt surfaces are all contributing to rising temperatures and the Urban Heat Island effect in cities,” Akodu said.
He noted that Lagos, as Africa’s most populous city, faces growing threats from extreme heat, flooding and sea-level rise, warning that higher temperatures could affect public health, productivity, air quality and energy demand.
As part of its response, the state formally aligned with the United Nations Environment Programme’s global “50 Cities at 50°C” campaign, which encourages cities to develop and share solutions to rising urban temperatures.
According to Akodu, Lagos will participate under the theme, “50 Cities at 50°C: Lagos Rising Against the Urban Heat Island.”
The state also launched a new environmental stewardship programme, tagged “Me and My Tree,” under which 500 trees will be planted across Lagos.
Residents participating in the initiative will receive free tree seedlings and be encouraged to nurture them to maturity.
To encourage participation, the government announced a cash prize of N2.5m for the owner of the best-performing tree after one year.
Akodu said the initiative builds on Lagos’ long-running urban greening programme, which has resulted in the planting of more than seven million trees since 2009 through partnerships involving schools, communities, businesses and government agencies.
He added that the state was also pursuing climate resilience through investments in mass transit infrastructure, including rail, bus and water transportation systems designed to reduce emissions and traffic congestion.
“Lagos is not waiting for the future; Lagos is preparing for it, adapting to it, and rising above it,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Mahamood Adegbite, said World Environment Day serves as a reminder of the need to tackle climate change and protect future generations.
He noted that rising temperatures were already placing pressure on public health systems and increasing vulnerability among children, the elderly and other at-risk groups.
“Our megacity with a population exceeding 20 million people is increasingly experiencing the effects of rising urban temperatures,” Adegbite said.
The event brought together government officials, environmental experts, development partners, civil society groups, students and private-sector stakeholders to discuss strategies for improving environmental sustainability and climate resilience across the state.
