Lagos reopens Oko-Oba Abattoir after hygiene crackdown

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

The Lagos State Government has ordered the immediate reopening of the Oko-Oba Abattoir, signaling a significant step in ensuring compliance with sanitation and hygiene regulations in the state’s meat processing industry.

The decision, announced late Friday by Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab, follows the abattoir operators’ substantial adherence to the state’s rigorous operational benchmarks.

In a personally signed statement, Wahab confirmed that the operators have addressed the sanitary deficiencies that prompted the facility’s closure on June 20, 2025.

“The operators have substantially complied with the minimum benchmark for the operations of abattoirs in the state which was flagrantly flouted necessitating the closure,” he said, underscoring the government’s commitment to public health and safety.

The shutdown followed an inspection by senior state officials that revealed “a flagrant disregard of the laws guiding safe operations of abattoirs in the state,” including issues of waste mismanagement and unhygienic handling of animal products.

To ensure sustained compliance, Wahab outlined that officials from the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources would conduct monthly inspections of the abattoir’s facilities.

“Part of the conditions for the reopening is that on a monthly basis, the ministry… will conduct a periodic inspection,” he stated, emphasizing a proactive approach to oversight.

He urged operators to maintain high standards, warning, “Operators [must] avoid unsanitary activities, waste mismanagement and unhygienic handling of animal products as they conduct their businesses.”

Kunle Adeshina, Director of Public Affairs, reiterated the government’s dedication to upholding environmental and health standards, signaling that the reopening reflects a balance between enforcement and cooperation with industry stakeholders.