Lagos govt moves to end cycle of dumping, clearing, redumping in Lagos

The Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has introduced a stronger approach to tackling recurring waste blackspots across the state, moving beyond repeated evacuation to address the causes of dumping and prevent cleared locations from becoming waste points again.

A statement by the Lagos State Government said the Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed this while explaining that the authority’s evolving strategy was based on the recognition that recurring waste on road medians could not be sustainably addressed through repeated evacuation alone.

He said there was a need to tackle both the operational and behavioural factors responsible for the return of waste to locations that had already been cleared.

Gbadegesin explained that LAWMA was increasingly combining the clearance of waste backlogs with measures to ensure that waste generated within surrounding communities was properly captured, collected and evacuated.

He added that enforcement was also being strengthened against indiscriminate dumping, illegal waste collection and other practices that undermine the formal waste management system.

“Our approach is changing from simply clearing waste backlogs to addressing what causes them to return. Where there are service gaps, we are working with stakeholders to improve collection; where there is indiscriminate dumping, we are enforcing compliance; and where locations have been cleared, we are putting measures in place to prevent redumping,” he said.

The LAWMA boss noted that the approach was already being applied in some parts of Lagos, including Ayobo-Ipaja.

According to him, LAWMA had combined sustained evacuation of accumulated waste in the area with enforcement against illegal waste collectors and defaulting markets and commercial facilities.

He added that in Mushin and Odi-Olowo, the Authority was taking further steps following the clearance of waste backlogs from major road medians.

Gbadegesin said LAWMA was deploying collection trucks into inner streets in the areas to improve direct access to waste collection services and reduce the tendency of residents to move waste back to the cleared medians.

He said the recent upgrade of critical infrastructure at the Olusosun Disposal Facility had also shown the importance of strengthening the wider waste evacuation chain.

According to him, improvements in access and truck turnaround at the facility had contributed to increased operational capacity.

The LAWMA chief also disclosed that the Authority was strengthening its collaboration with Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators through a participatory reform process.

He said the process was aimed at improving route management, service delivery, fleet capacity, technology-driven monitoring, accountability and the long-term sustainability of the waste management sector.

Gbadegesin added that LAWMA was simultaneously intensifying enforcement against illegal waste operators, unauthorised markets and other activities that contribute to indiscriminate dumping.

He said the Authority was also engaging communities and other stakeholders to ensure that locations cleared of waste remained clean.

The LAWMA boss stressed that behavioural change remained a critical part of the response.

He noted that the continued dumping of waste on road medians, roadsides and other unauthorised locations often occurred despite the availability of approved waste collection arrangements.

“A clean city cannot be sustained by government action alone. We need residents, businesses, markets, PSP operators and communities to take responsibility for how waste is generated, handled and disposed of. Clearing a location only for it to become a dumping point again is not sustainable,” he added.

He maintained that the ultimate goal of the Lagos State Government was to achieve sustainable waste management driven by the circular economy.

Gbadegesin said this was reflected in ongoing initiatives, including the development of transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities, as well as the promotion of waste-to-wealth and waste-to-energy, among others.

While reaffirming LAWMA’s commitment to a coordinated and data-driven approach to recurrent waste hotspots, he said the strategy would continue to combine operational interventions, enforcement, stakeholder engagement and infrastructure improvement.

The approach, he said, was aimed at achieving cleaner communities and preventing the cycle of dumping, clearing and redumping.

Gbadegesin urged residents to support the effort by patronising approved waste collection services, reporting service gaps and rejecting indiscriminate dumping.

He stressed that achieving a cleaner Lagos remained a shared responsibility.