The Lagos State Government has shut down a branch of Access Bank Plc on Victoria Island after confirming the illegal discharge of untreated sewage into public drainage. The closure followed an investigation by the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office (LSWMO) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (KAI), which found the bank's wastewater treatment plant non-functional. Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, said the directive came after a whistleblower's complaint led to the discovery of faecal matter being released into the environment. "Following a whistleblower complaint, I directed the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office to visit the Access Bank Plc @myaccessbank building at Oniru, Victoria Island, where it was discovered that the wastewater treatment plant at the facility was non-functional, resulting in the discharge of untreated faecal matter into the public drainage system and causing severe damage to the environment," Wahab stated.
Officials attempting the initial inspection were reportedly blocked by bank security and representatives. However, waste samples were later collected and confirmed to contain untreated sewage. This prompted the deployment of additional enforcement personnel to seal the facility. Wahab emphasized that no individual or organisation is above environmental laws. "There are no sacred cows in the enforcement of environmental regulations. Any individual or organisation found violating environmental laws, regardless of status, will be held accountable," he said. Engr. Adefemi Afolabi, General Manager of LSWMO, reaffirmed the agency's commitment to public health and compliance monitoring.
A bank that can't manage its own sewage should not be trusted with the public's money. The obstruction by Access Bank staff during the inspection reveals a deeper disregard for civic responsibility, despite the institution's high-profile branding. With Victoria Island's dense commercial activity, unchecked waste discharge directly threatens public health and urban sanitation. This shutdown does little to restore trust unless similar scrutiny is applied across other corporate facilities in the city.
