By Toochi Ejiofor
Edited By Bababunmi Agbebi
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has promised to tackle the recent delays in waste collection across the state, describing the accumulation of refuse in communities as unacceptable.
The governor made the remarks during an inspection of waste management operations at the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, where he announced a series of measures aimed at improving waste collection and disposal across Lagos.
Governor Sanwo-Olu said the state is taking immediate steps to address pressure on the waste management system, including improving access roads at the state’s major dumpsites to allow collection trucks to discharge waste and return to their routes faster.
He also announced that the government had ordered 160 new compactor trucks to strengthen waste collection from homes and roads. Development partners are expected to provide additional heavy-duty equipment, while waste collection operators are also being encouraged to increase their capacity.
The intervention comes after weeks of slower waste collection in many parts of Lagos, with long truck turnaround times at disposal sites contributing to delays in evacuating refuse from communities. The governor said the state plans to increase the capacity of Olusosun from about 220–250 trucks a day to between 350 and 450 trucks by expanding its tipping points.
The government also plans to improve or reactivate other disposal sites, including Solous 3 in Alimosho, Iwulepe in Ikorodu, Oke Osho in Epe and Erikitte in Badagry, to reduce the pressure on Olusosun and shorten the distance trucks travel to dispose of waste.
Beyond the immediate response, Lagos is planning two 2,400-metric-tonne Transfer Loading Stations at Olusosun and Solous 3. Material Recovery Facilities are also being developed in Epe and Badagry, with the aim of improving waste sorting, recycling and processing in the longer term.
Governor Sanwo-Olu also said the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) would undergo restructuring to strengthen supervision and improve operations. He added that the state would work with PSP operators to ensure that only operators with the capacity to provide effective waste collection services remain in the system.
While acknowledging the government’s responsibility to improve the system, the governor also warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of waste, reminding that environmental enforcement officers would arrest and prosecute offenders.
The latest intervention comes as Lagos continues to grapple with the challenge of managing waste generated by its large and growing population. For residents who have experienced delayed collection and refuse piling up in their neighbourhoods, the immediate concern will be whether the announced measures translate into faster and more consistent waste evacuation.
The government says the short-term interventions are intended to ease the current pressure, and provide a more sustainable waste management system in the longer term.
Recommended posts:
Ladipo Market Closure Highlights Lagos’ Ongoing Waste Management Challenges
5 Simple Ways to Dispose of Waste Properly in Ikeja
Why Does Lagos Smell? The Uncomfortable Truth About Waste, Open Urination, and Defecation in the City of Hustle
Lagos Launches Task Force Against Illegal Waste Dumping on Roads
