The Lagos State Government has sealed the popular Ladipo Spare Parts Market located along the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road (Apapa–Oshodi Expressway) over persistent environmental infractions.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced the closure on Sunday via a post on X (formerly Twitter).
According to Wahab, the market was shut down due to repeated violations, including indiscriminate refuse disposal on road medians and highways, as well as illegal street trading.
“Lagos State Government, this morning, sealed Ladipo Spare Parts Market along Murtala Muhammed International Airport Road (Apapa–Oshodi Expressway) over repeated environmental infractions; indiscriminate refuse disposal on the median/highway and illegal street trading,” the commissioner wrote.
Ladipo Spare Parts Market is one of Lagos State’s largest hubs for new and used automotive parts, attracting buyers and mechanics from across the state and beyond. The market spans several streets off Ladipo Street and has grown organically into a dense network of shops and informal trading activities.
This is not the first time the state government has sealed the market. Authorities have previously shut it down over sanitation-related issues, including improper waste disposal and non-payment of waste management fees, underscoring the regulatory challenges associated with managing large informal commercial centres.
In 2023, the market was sealed for similar offences, particularly indiscriminate waste dumping and failure to settle waste disposal charges.
The Lagos State Government has consistently reiterated its zero-tolerance policy on environmental violations, warning that markets and commercial centres that flout sanitation laws will face sanctions, including closure.
In April 2025, no fewer than 13 markets in the Ketu and Mile 12 areas were sealed for violating the state’s waste management regulations. Similarly, the Itedo Market in Lekki was shut down in October 2025 for repeated environmental offences and illegal roadside trading.
Earlier, in June 2025, the Oko Oba Abattoir in Agege was also sealed due to unsanitary conditions and persistent environmental violations.
Wahab said the enforcement actions align with the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law of 2017, which prohibits illegal waste disposal on roads, medians, and highways, stressing that compliance remains non-negotiable.
