- LAWMA unveils reforms to end Lagos waste backlog
Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) is overhauling its operational infrastructure across the board in order to catch up with its waste disposal backlog and improve environmental sanitation in the state.
The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin said the Authority is implementing sweeping infrastructure, regulatory and operational reforms to end persistent waste backlog across the state.
Making this disclosure during a live interview on Lagos Traffic Radio’s Talk Time programme over the weekend, Gbadegesin attributed the recent resurgence of waste on roads and inner streets to ageing landfill facilities, rising waste generation, heavy rainfall and inadequate waste disposal infrastructure.
He said an estimated 22 million population of Lagos currently generated between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of waste daily.
“The challenge is not just population growth. Two of our major disposal sites, Olusosun and Solous III, have reached the end of their operational lives.
“We are now carrying out end-of-life operations while transitioning to a more modern waste management system,” he said.
He said conventional dumpsites were no longer sustainable because of Lagos’ coastal terrain, limited land availability and growing urban population.
According to him, the state is replacing landfills with Transfer Loading Stations, Material Recovery Facilities and waste-to-energy plants.
He said transfer loading stations under construction at Olusosun and Solous would each receive thousands of tonnes of waste daily before transporting them to modern processing facilities.
Gbadegesin said the Olusosun facility alone would handle 2,500 tonnes of waste daily, while a material recovery facility under construction in Ikorodu would mechanically recover about 90 per cent of incoming waste.
“The organic fraction will become compost or energy, plastics will be recycled into products such as waste bins, while only a small residual fraction will end up in engineered landfills,” he said.
He disclosed that the projects would create about 5,000 direct jobs and were expected to become operational during the first quarter of 2027.
The managing director said LAWMA had also begun deploying waste-to-energy technologies, including biodigesters converting market waste into biogas for electricity generation and cooking gas.
He cited the recently commissioned biodigester at the Ikoyi Fruit Market, where organic waste from fruits was being converted into renewable energy.
Gbadegesin identified poor public compliance with waste management regulations as another major obstacle confronting effective sanitation in Lagos.
He said every household was legally required to maintain waste bins and subscribe to licensed Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators for regular waste collection.
“A significant number of residents are not complying.
“When residents refuse to pay PSP operators, operators struggle financially and service delivery suffers. It becomes a vicious cycle,” he said.
He urged residents not to dump refuse on roadsides whenever PSP operators delayed collections.
“If your PSP operator fails to collect your waste, contact LAWMA immediately. Do not resort to illegal dumping.
“We provide backup services and target a 48-hour response time for complaints,” he said.
Responding to callers’ complaints about delayed waste evacuation in areas including Ogba, Magodo and Osi, Gbadegesin assured residents that LAWMA would investigate erring operators and deploy backup trucks where necessary.
He disclosed that LAWMA monitored the performance of all licensed PSP operators monthly and sanctioned defaulters through warning letters and possible licence withdrawal.
“We have a performance matrix.
“Operators that consistently fail to meet service standards receive warnings and can ultimately lose their operating licenses,” he said.
On enforcement, the LAWMA chief described indiscriminate waste dumping as “an act of sabotage” because of its impact on flooding, traffic congestion and public infrastructure.
He said the authority had strengthened surveillance through its Project WISE (Waste Investigation, Surveillance and Enforcement) initiative.
According to him, undercover enforcement teams monitor illegal dumping locations, apprehend offenders and prosecute them before environmental courts.
“We have secured thousands of convictions.
“Some offenders have served jail terms, while others perform community service by cleaning illegal dump sites,” he said.
