LASU wins LASEPA environmental debate competition, bags N2 million prize

Education

LAGOS, Nigeria (NPA) — Lagos State University (LASU) has emerged winner of the 2026 Inter-Tertiary Institutions Environmental Summit Debate Competition organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), securing a trophy and a N2 million cash prize.

The grand finale, held on Tuesday at Alausa, Ikeja, brought together students from tertiary institutions across Lagos State to debate solutions to environmental challenges, particularly the growing threat of transboundary pollution.

Miss Mary Falana, a 300-level Mass Communication student of LASU, clinched the top position after presenting arguments in support of city-level interventions as a strategy for addressing transboundary pollution in Lagos State.

For her performance, LASU received the overall winner’s trophy and the N2 million prize.

Mr Yaqub Abdullahi, a 400-level Chemical Engineering student of the University of Lagos (UNILAG), finished second and received N1 million, while Mr Daniel Akinkuowo, a 200-level Law student of UNILAG, placed third and won N500,000.

The finalists emerged from an initial pool of contestants shortlisted for the concluding stage of the competition.

Speaking at the summit, the General Manager of LASEPA, Dr Babatunde Ajayi, said the debate initiative was designed to deepen environmental awareness among young people and encourage active participation in environmental sustainability efforts.

According to him, environmental protection is fundamentally linked to public health and quality of life.

“The crux of environmental protection is public health,” Ajayi said.

He noted that environmental regulations and management practices are ultimately aimed at safeguarding people and creating healthier communities.

Ajayi described debates as powerful advocacy tools capable of shaping public opinion and influencing policy decisions.

“We have realised as a team at LASEPA that debates help us strengthen advocacy and public discourse,” he said.

The LASEPA boss stressed that young people remain central to advancing sustainable environmental practices and driving long-term behavioural change.

“Anything you want to thrive, anything you want to sell in the world, you must pass it through young people,” he added.

He commended participating institutions, lecturers, and university administrators for supporting the initiative and promoting environmental consciousness among students.

In a goodwill message delivered on behalf of the Lagos State Commissioner for Tertiary Education, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Mr Adeniran Kasali, described the summit as an important platform for generating practical solutions to environmental challenges.

He said the debate theme highlighted the need for collective action in addressing pollution that transcends geographical boundaries.

“Environmental pollution does not recognise geographical boundaries. Its effects transcend cities, states and nations,” Kasali said.

He stressed that no single institution or level of government could effectively tackle transboundary pollution alone, calling for collaboration among governments, regulatory agencies, private sector organisations, and citizens.

Also speaking, the Managing Director of CreditPro, Mr Shola Adeyigba, praised the initiative for encouraging environmental awareness among youths.

According to him, businesses should be measured not only by profitability but also by their impact on people and the environment.

He disclosed that CreditPro partnered with LASEPA and the Sustainable Development Goals Office on the “M-Passive Pollution” programme, which promotes proper waste management and recycling.

Adeyigba said the initiative involved the donation of waste collection bins to residential estates in Ikeja GRA to encourage the collection and recycling of plastic waste.

“You now see estates making small money from plastics that would have been thrown into drainages,” he said.

The Managing Director of Nisum Nigeria Limited, producers of Ariane Water, Mrs Sumbo Olaitan, described plastic pollution as one of the most pressing environmental challenges and called for greater stakeholder collaboration.

She emphasised the importance of involving young people in climate and environmental discussions, noting that future sustainability efforts depend on the next generation of leaders.

“Lagos cannot be sustainable without young people who can think, argue and act,” Olaitan said.

Also addressing participants, the Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services and Water Resources, Mr Mahmood Adegbite, represented by a director in the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Adeola Adeshola, described the summit theme as timely and strategic.

He noted that environmental challenges require coordinated responses and urged stakeholders to move beyond discussions to implementing data-driven solutions that improve drainage management, flood control, and environmental quality.

The summit attracted students, academics, environmental experts, government officials, and other stakeholders committed to advancing environmental sustainability in Lagos State.