Optimus Bank has led a coastal clean up exercise in Lekki, Lagos, resulting in the removal of approximately two tonnes of waste and marine litter as part of efforts to tackle plastic pollution and promote responsible waste disposal.
The exercise, held to mark World Cleanup Day 2026, took place at a beach off the Coastal Road and brought together the bank’s employees, volunteers, community members and other stakeholders.
Brandspur Brand News reports that the initiative was carried out under Optimus Bank’s “PROTECT OUR COAST” campaign in partnership with Shoreline Euphoria Limited and RESWAYE, with participants clearing plastic bottles, sachet water nylon, food packaging, cans, glass and other solid waste from the shoreline.
The waste was sorted at the beach into recyclable and non recyclable materials. Recyclable items, particularly plastics and other recoverable materials, were channelled through recycling and resource recovery processes, while residual waste was evacuated through appropriate waste management channels in partnership with the Lagos State Waste Management Agency, LAWMA.
The exercise is part of the bank’s “Impact Starts with Us” platform, which supports initiatives in areas including environmental protection, education, healthcare and empowerment.
Optimus Bank’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ademola Odeyemi, said the bank’s responsibility extends beyond providing financial services to the communities it serves.
According to him, protecting the environment is important to building healthier and more resilient communities, while initiatives such as PROTECT OUR COAST provide an opportunity for employees and communities to work together on practical environmental challenges.
Odeyemi also stressed the importance of collective responsibility, noting that sustainable impact requires individuals, businesses and communities to contribute to environmental protection.
The programme went beyond the physical removal of waste. Participants received environmental sensitisation on plastic pollution, marine litter and responsible waste handling, while recycling and waste segregation demonstrations showed how recyclable materials can be identified and recovered.
Beach users, residents and other local stakeholders also took part in community engagement activities focused on protecting coastal ecosystems and improving everyday waste disposal practices.
Morolake Philip Ladipo, Head of Corporate Communications at Optimus Bank, said the campaign was designed to encourage people to recognise the connection between their everyday choices and the condition of shared environmental spaces.
The partnership with Shoreline Euphoria Limited and RESWAYE also brought together corporate, environmental and community stakeholders around the clean up, highlighting the role of collaboration in addressing coastal pollution.
Optimus Bank said it would continue working with relevant partners and stakeholders through its Impact Starts with Us platform to promote practical environmental action, responsible business practices and healthier, more sustainable communities.
