The Lagos State Government has unveiled an innovative environmental and educational project tagged “Library on the Lagoon,” aimed at promoting sustainability and strengthening public engagement with the state’s waterways.
The initiative, which aligns with the state’s blue economy and environmental sustainability agenda, was formally launched on Monday by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
The General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Tunde Ajayi, who represented the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, described the project as part of efforts to deepen environmental awareness through creative and interactive platforms.
According to him, the initiative provides a new approach to environmental advocacy by combining learning, art, and direct engagement with nature.
Project Director of “Library on the Lagoon,” Mrs. Maryam Kazeem, explained that the concept redefines what a library represents by shifting it from a fixed physical structure to an interactive, water-based learning experience.
She said the project began about a year ago with research focused on the lagoon as a space for social and environmental reflection.
“The research for this project started about a year ago.
”We are thinking about the lagoon as a social research space, where a library is not just a stationary place but something created through interaction and shared experience,” she said.
Kazeem added that participants engage directly on the lagoon through guided activities designed to encourage reflection on the history, current state, and future of the water ecosystem.
She noted that the initiative also addresses environmental challenges such as water pollution, particularly plastic waste affecting the lagoon.
“At the centre of the exercise is a trash wheel powered by a typewriter, which is still in its prototype stage,” she explained.
“The idea is to invite people to sit with the water, observe it, and think critically about their relationship with it.”
She also stressed that environmental protection requires collective responsibility, adding that no single entity can address the challenge alone.
“It is more than what one person or even government can handle alone. We need to think about it collectively,” she said.
Dr. Ajayi said LASEPA’s involvement reflects the agency’s commitment to integrating environmental monitoring with creative public engagement.
He explained that the agency regularly tracks pollution levels across Lagos waterways and supports initiatives that raise awareness on environmental protection.
“Bringing people into this awareness and encouraging discussions about cleaning the lagoon and ocean is a simple but powerful form of advocacy,” he said.
He expressed optimism that the project would help reduce plastic pollution in Lagos waterways and promote behavioural change among residents.
“This is one of the ways to mop up plastic waste that has found its way into the lagoon, and it is a very good one,” he added.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Blue Economy, Mr. Damilola Emmanuel, described the initiative as a model of collaborative governance involving government, private sector, and civil society.
“We are very excited because government cannot do it alone. We need the private sector, the non-profit sector, and everyone to work together to preserve our lagoons,” he said.
He noted that the government supports plans to expand the initiative beyond its current location to cover more parts of Lagos waterways.
“This is just one location, but we will continue to support its expansion. We want it to reach every part of Lagos because our lagoons are very extensive,” he said.
The project is expected to run for one week and form part of broader efforts to strengthen environmental awareness, promote sustainable use of water resources, and advance Lagos State’s blue economy agenda.
