By Augustine Akhilomen

Lagos is currently navigating a major waste management crisis, with reports indicating that 13,000 metric tons of waste are generated daily, leading to significant accumulation in streets, drainages, and on roadsides.

While the state is often referred to as a “dustbin hub” due to these challenges, the government is actively implementing, or proposing, several initiatives to shift towards a circular economy and improve sanitation.

The accumulation of waste has had negative impacts on health, leading to concerns about epidemics, and has caused some residents to demand a return to better, more consistent waste management practices.

Interestingly, in some areas, residents rely on unofficial waste collectors (“barrow boys”) who often dump the collected waste in unauthorized, nearby locations, further exacerbating the problem.

Despite government efforts to improve sanitation, the presence of massive garbage dumps—both in specific, neglected areas like the “Dustbin Estate” and generally across the metropolis—remains a major, ongoing challenge for Lagos.

In some areas visited by Thepledge, such as Mushin, Surulere, Mile 2, Mile 12, Ojuelegba, Oshodi, Agege, Okota, and others, the amount of waste dumped along the road has become an eyesore for a state considered the center of excellence.

Thepledge also learned that some of the truck waste collectors have often failed to pick up waste from these areas due to the challenge of dumping their waste at a dumpsite in Badagry, Ikorodu, and Epe after the government barred them from dumping waste at Olusosun, along the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

In December 2025, the Lagos State Government attributed the recent piles of uncollected refuse in some parts of the metropolis to the phased shutdown of the Olusosun landfill, a process that has disrupted existing waste disposal arrangements across the state.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, via his official X handle, reassured residents that measures were already in place to tackle the challenge.

Wahab explained that waste that was formerly dumped at Olusosun is now being redirected to landfill sites in Epe and Badagry, a development that has slowed operations for some Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators due to longer travel times.

“The ongoing decommissioning of the Olusosun landfill has necessitated a significant shift in waste disposal logistics. waste products previously destined for Olusosun are now being transported to alternative facilities in Epe and Badagry,” he said. The closure process has led to temporary waste pile-ups in some parts of the city.

However, a few of the truck waste collectors who had the opportunity to dump their waste in Olusosun were always charged a certain amount of money before they could be allowed to dump their waste.

Critics say the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, alongside the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), made visible efforts in keeping Lagos clean, but filth remained at the various corners of the state, frustrating its megacity moves as far as cleanliness is concerned.

Analysts also noted that despite investment in waste management technology, the inadequacy of collection trucks, processing facilities, and consistent, timely collection is exacerbating the situation.

In addition, some officials blamed the resurgence of waste on “saboteurs” and illegal, indiscriminate dumping by residents, while others cite traffic bottlenecks as a barrier to efficient, timely collection.

Reacting to the development, an environmentalist, Gbolahon Alao, told Thepledge that the Lagos State Govt has done enough to ensure that the state is free from heaps of refuse.

He also questioned the attitude of some individuals in the state dumping refuse along the highways and streets at night.

“I really don’t think the Lagos State Govt should be blamed for the heaps of refuse that have occupied some of our streets considering the fact that most Lagosians are fond of dumping refuse anywhere they deem fit without thinking of the negative effects.

“The Lagos State, through their various initiatives to keep the state clean, have always maintained constant communication with Lagosians in sensitizing them on the need to dump their refuse at the right spot for proper collection.

“We also need to do our own part to ensure that the state remains clean.”

Olamide Martins Ogunlade, an Associate Director (Climate and Environment) at Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA), criticized both the government’s approach and residents’ attitudes.

According to Ogunlade, the sight of mounting waste heaps across the city reflects deep flaws in both the government’s approach to environmental management and the attitude of many residents toward basic sanitation.

“Also concerning is the transparency of the state’s waste collection process, which is currently shrouded in political influence and used as economic compensation for political actors,” he said, noting that this has led to widespread inefficiency.

“The government must reorient citizens on the environmental and health implications of poor waste management and take urgent steps to restore efficiency and accountability in the system,” he said.

In the same vein, a former LAWMA official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said politics and poor coordination often worsen operational failures.

“Waste management looks simple from the outside, but it depends on fuel supply, vehicle maintenance, staff welfare, and enforcement,” the source explained.

“When one segment breaks down, the entire chain suffers. In December, several links failed at the same time.”

The National President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Olugbenga Adebola, said most of the challenges facing the sector were infrastructural.

“Effective waste management depends on access to functional transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities. Unfortunately, there has been little progress in that area,” he said.

On the relocation from Igando to Badagry, he said, “Travelling 30 to 40 kilometers after collection affects turnaround time and service delivery and accelerates wear and tear on trucks.

“It affects everyone—residents and operators alike. With inconsistent services, people become reluctant to hire us or pay.”

Given the above challenges, a stakeholder meeting would be required so that a lasting solution can be found for a problem that has become a perennial thing in the state.