In a bid to strengthen the state’s security architecture, the Lagos State Government has begun installing over 50,000 streetlights across major roads and neighbourhoods to improve night-time visibility, enhance public safety, and support quicker response by security agencies.
The project, which forms part of the administration’s safety and urban renewal agenda, covers highways, residential areas, and other strategic locations across the state, eliminating dark spots that often aid criminal activity and creating a safer environment for residents, businesses, and visitors.
Speaking on Journalists’ Hangout on Monday, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu said the streetlights are being installed at intervals of about 20 metres, translating to nearly one million metres of lighting across over 1,000 kilometres of roads and public spaces.
According to him, the initiative is designed to illuminate virtually every part of the city, improve night-time security, and enhance safety for residents, commuters, and visitors.
Sanwo-Olu also disclosed that the state has deployed an additional 100 vehicles to security agencies to boost their operational capacity and ensure faster response to incidents, stressing that equipping security personnel remains a priority of his administration.
Beyond streetlight installation, the governor said the government continues to support security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, LASTMA, LASEMA, and other security outfits, with logistics, fuel supply, operational support, and provisions for extended shifts to improve efficiency and response time.
“We’re installing over 50,000 streetlight poles across Lagos, placed about 20 metres apart. This translates to almost one million metres of street lighting across more than 1,000 kilometres, ensuring that virtually every part of the city is well lit,” he said.
Sanwo-Olu added that the state has over 7,500 neighbourhood watch personnel, who have been fully briefed and activated as part of the state’s security framework.
On waste management, the governor said Lagos is partnering with a waste management committee capable of raising $300–400 million to establish modern recycling plants.
He noted that agreements have already been signed, and that the state is expected to have a fully operational recycling facility by the end of next year, with the capacity to process 4,000–5,000 metric tonnes of waste daily into reusable products.
Sanwo-Olu stressed the importance of household waste sorting, noting that while Private Sector Participants (PSPs) remain actively involved, greater public cooperation is needed.
He recalled that the state delivered 120 compact waste trucks two years ago and revealed plans to deploy an additional 120–150 trucks to further strengthen waste management operations in collaboration with PSPs and the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
