The Ministry of the Environment was established in 1979 by the first elected Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande when it was carved out of the then Ministry of Works and Transport. It was later merged with Ministry of Physical Planning and became Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning. In 2003, the administration of the immediate past Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu separated the office of the Environment from Physical Planning and upgraded the present Office of the Environment to a full- fledged Ministry. The mandate of the Ministry was primarily to secure a clean, healthier and sustainable Environment which will be conducive for tourism, economic growth and well being of its citizenry.

Vision
A flood- free, hygienic and beautiful Lagos.
Mission
To foster a clean, healthy, sustainable Environment for the well being of citizenry through the application of best practices in Environmental Management.

In the year 2005, two offices were created under the Ministry namely: Office of Environmental Services (OES) and Office of Drainage Services (ODS).

• Improved solid Waste Management – Establishment of Public Private Partnership (PPP) in waste to wealth Programmes; collection transportation and disposal of waste. Provision of 2 (nos.) of Transfer Loading Stations.
• Improved Waste Water Management.
•    Sustained Highway Sanitation and Street Cleanliness.
•    Schools Advocacy Programme for the popularization of effective waste management, sanitation and hygiene, landscaping & beautification in Lagos public schools.
•    Greening of over 60% of Lagos metropolis under the (Operation Green Lagos Programme) i.e. landscaping and beautification of open spaces.
•    Over 5 million trees already planted to mitigate the effect of climate change.
•    95% increase in the level of Awareness on climate change with the introduction of Climate Change Clubs in Public Schools.