The Lagos State Government has urged youths to take active roles in protecting the ocean and coastal environment.
Dr Mobolaji Gaji, Permanent Secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, gave the charge at the opening of the 2026 Young Leaders for Sustainable Environment Programme (YLSEP) in Lagos.
The programme, organised by Eko Envirotalk, has the theme “Ocean Heroes, Guardians of the Blue.”
Gaji said Lagos’ lagoon, creeks, wetlands and Atlantic shoreline were critical infrastructure for the state’s economy, food systems and climate resilience.
He identified plastic pollution, blocked waterways, mangrove destruction, coastal erosion and climate change as major threats to the state’s coastal ecosystems.
“Government policies alone will not save our ocean and our coast. Policy determines direction; it is people — informed, motivated and organised people — that determine whether that direction is actually followed,” he said.
The permanent secretary said the state government had responded to environmental pressures through climate action, adaptation and resilience measures, waste management and environmental restoration.
He said the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, Lagos State Parks and Gardens Agency and Lagos State Waterways Authority were at the forefront of those efforts.
Gaji said young people were not merely beneficiaries of a liveable future but active participants in protecting it.
He encouraged participants to see the programme as the beginning of a lifelong role as advocates in their schools, communities and environmental institutions.
According to him, the ministry was open to youths interested in understanding environmental governance and contributing ideas towards improving environmental management in the state.
He urged participants to use their digital skills and social media platforms to promote environmental awareness and influence positive behavioural change.
Gaji commended Eko Envirotalk and its partners, Gracefield Island and the International Ocean Institute (IOI) Nigeria Centre, for investing in youth environmental education.
He officially declared the 2026 YLSEP, themed “Ocean Heroes, Guardians of the Blue,” open.
Earlier, Mr Lasisi Adedoyin, Convener of Eko Envirotalk, said the programme was founded on the belief that young people could drive meaningful environmental change.
Adedoyin welcomed representatives of the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Gracefield Island, IOI Nigeria Centre and other programme partners.
He said the theme was particularly relevant to Lagos, given the pressure on its lagoons, coastlines, creeks and seas from plastic pollution and other environmental threats.
“Our lagoons, our coastlines, our creeks and our seas are under pressure as never before,” he said.
Adedoyin said plastic bottles and waste were polluting waterways and threatening marine life, adding that the ocean should not be treated as a dumping ground.
He said the ocean represented life and the future of communities, stressing the need for collective action to protect it.
According to him, the programme would expose participants to the science behind ocean and coastal ecosystems and the effects of plastic pollution and climate change.
He said participants would also learn practical and community-based approaches for turning environmental concerns into concrete action.
Adedoyin said previous cohorts had produced sustainability champions who led projects and influenced environmental conversations in schools, campuses and communities.
He urged the new cohort to embrace the opportunity to build knowledge, networks and a strong sense of purpose.
The convener appreciated the programme’s partners and sponsors, noting that initiatives of such magnitude required sustained collaboration and commitment.
He said the objective was to build a growing community of young sustainability champions capable of taking environmental action beyond the programme.
Also speaking, Miss Wande Seriki, Programme Manager, Eko Envirotalk, said the programme was designed as an immersive environmental education and leadership initiative.
Seriki said the initiative would help young people learn, explore, connect and develop solutions to environmental challenges.
She said the 2026 cohort comprised 28 participants aged between 13 and 28 years.
Seriki said 57.4 per cent of the participants were female, while 42.9 per cent were male, with 57.4 per cent in tertiary institutions, particularly from Southern Nigeria.
She said participants would undergo physical and theoretical training, interact with environmental experts, develop solutions and undertake a tree-planting exercise.
Seriki added that the programme was designed to close knowledge gaps, build confidence and promote collaboration among youths interested in environmental sustainability.
Mr Williams Akanbi, Director, International Ocean Institute Nigeria Centre, said the ocean was an essential life-support system that regulated climate, supported biodiversity, food production and livelihoods.
Akanbi said the ocean also facilitated transportation and trade and provided opportunities for scientific and economic development.
He said Nigeria’s marine and coastal ecosystems, including mangroves, lagoons, wetlands and offshore waters, supported diverse forms of life and millions of livelihoods.
He, however, identified plastic pollution, habitat destruction, overfishing, unsustainable coastal development and climate change as increasing threats to the marine environment.
Akanbi urged participants to become ocean stewards and take knowledge gained from the programme to their families, schools and communities.
He said being an “ocean hero” did not require a career specifically in marine science, noting that professionals across different fields could contribute to ocean protection.
He advised the youths to “know the ocean, love the ocean and protect the ocean.”
In her goodwill message, Miss Oreoluwa Babajide, Assistant Manager, Health, Safety and Environmental Sustainability, Gracefield Island, said sustainability involved environmental protection and equipping young people to build a sustainable future.
Babajide said Lagos’ close relationship with its oceans, lagoons and waterways made environmental responsibility particularly important.
She linked flooding experienced in parts of Lagos to heavy rainfall, blocked drainage systems and waterways.
She urged participants to understand that everyday decisions, including waste disposal and the treatment of waterways, could directly affect communities.
During a question-and-answer session, a participant, Orepo Asake, asked Akanbi what inspired him to pursue ocean-related studies.
Asake also asked whether opportunities existed for young people to work with the Ministry of Environment.
Akanbi said his interest in the ocean began during childhood after watching marine and ocean-related documentaries.
He explained that although he initially wanted to become a medical doctor, he eventually studied zoology and later worked with the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research.
He said he subsequently obtained a master’s degree in marine biology and joined the IOI, where his work focused on scientific knowledge, advocacy and ocean literacy.
Akanbi stressed that every profession could contribute to ocean protection, adding that the ocean was vast and offered opportunities across different fields.
Responding to Asake’s question on opportunities at the ministry, Gaji said young people would be encouraged to engage with relevant departments and understand their operations.
He said the ministry was open to new ideas and innovations from youths, particularly in using social media and digital tools to promote environmental awareness.
Gaji urged participants to use the programme to build networks, acquire knowledge and develop innovative approaches to environmental challenges.
The organisers appreciated the speakers, sponsors, partners, facilitators and participants for contributing to the success of the programme.
They said the ultimate objective was to raise a new generation of young environmental leaders capable of translating knowledge into practical action.
It was reported that the 2026 YLSEP runs from August 17 to August 22.
