Mounting refuse in parts of Lagos has reignited public concern about the capacity of the state’s waste management system. But beyond the visible heaps lies a more complex story of rapid urban growth, ageing infrastructure, behavioural gaps, and an ambitious transition plan that seeks to move Africa’s largest city toward modern waste treatment and energy recovery.
In this interview with Dayo Oyewo, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin, provides an extensive account of the pressures confronting the system, the performance of Private Sector Participants (PSPs), landfill decommissioning plans, enforcement statistics, grassroots collaboration, and the state’s transition toward waste-to-energy solutions.
Population Growth and the Limits of Capacity
Waste generation, Gbadegesin explains, is directly tied to human and economic activity. Lagos, one of the fastest-growing urban centres globally, has an estimated population exceeding 20 million. Some projections suggest it may be closer to 27 million, pending updated census validation.
At that scale, the state generates between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of waste daily — possibly more. Managing that volume demands robust infrastructure across every stage of the value chain.
Waste management, he says, functions as a “chain system.” It begins with households having appropriate bins and containers. Compactor trucks then evacuate refuse to transfer loading stations, from where it proceeds to disposal or treatment facilities. If any link in this chain weakens, leakages occur — and waste ends up in public spaces.
He categorises the system into two components:
- Hardware — trucks, bins, transfer stations, landfills, material recovery facilities and related equipment.
- Software — human behaviour, compliance, and residents’ willingness to follow regulations.
Lagos State’s Environmental Management and Protection Law mandates residents to register with a PSP operator, keep waste in proper containers, and pay monthly waste bills. It also prohibits illegal dumping. Enforcement teams conduct daily operations, arresting violators.
Recent surges in complaints, he notes, are partly seasonal. Rainy periods slow truck movement, worsen traffic congestion, and make landfill terrain slippery and difficult to access. This year’s heavier-than-usual rainfall has added operational pressure. Nevertheless, whenever refuse appears in public areas, LAWMA treats it as an emergency — clearing it promptly and tracing its origin.
PSP Operators: Oversight, Sanctions and Structural Reform
PSP operators are private franchisees licensed to manage designated operational zones and provide house-to-house collection services. They collect fees directly from residents. LAWMA’s role is regulatory and supervisory.
Each month, operators are assessed using a performance matrix that examines:
- Weekly collection consistency
- Truck functionality
- Number of landfill trips
- Feedback from residents
Where deficiencies are identified, warning letters are issued. After three warnings and a final notice, licences may be revoked. Last year, 27 licences were withdrawn. This year, about 22 operators are already on final warning.
Approximately 300 functional PSP compactor trucks currently service landfills regularly. LAWMA maintains about 100 state-acquired trucks as backup. Ideally, the regulator should not engage in daily collection. The frequent visibility of LAWMA trucks on the roads, Gbadegesin acknowledges, signals systemic strain.
To address this, the agency is reviewing the PSP framework and engaging the Lagos State House of Assembly to amend aspects of the law. Possible reforms include restructuring operational zones to make them more economically viable.
Fleet renewal is another priority. Many operators rely on used imported trucks with shorter lifespans and high maintenance costs. LAWMA is encouraging the acquisition of newer trucks, including compressed natural gas (CNG) and electric-powered vehicles.
Landfills Under Scrutiny: Decommissioning and Repurposing
Legacy dump sites such as Olusosun and Solus III have attracted sustained criticism. Solus III, in particular, is located near a major hospital and within a densely populated community — conditions inconsistent with modern urban planning.
Such sites are being decommissioned and replaced with transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities. Under the new approach, compactors will discharge waste at transfer stations. Waste will then be consolidated into trailers and transported to treatment facilities.
Methane emissions from decomposing organic waste are another concern. LAWMA is studying methane capture feasibility to generate electricity from landfill gas.
Globally, former landfill sites have been successfully transformed. The grounds of the US Open at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in New York were once a dump. Today, they form a globally recognised sports complex generating billions of dollars annually for the Tennis Association.
Similarly, in Ibadan, a former dumpsite now hosts a major shopping complex developed by ShopRite — the same company that developed its first Lagos outlet on reclaimed land. Drawing from his past experience as Commissioner for Health and supervisory Commissioner for Lands in Oyo State, Gbadegesin notes that he signed the Certificate of Occupancy for the Ibadan site during his tenure.
However, he expresses a preference for sites like Olusosun and Solus to become recreational parks rather than commercial estates.
Transfer infrastructure development may take about 18 months from groundbreaking to completion. Full environmental rehabilitation, however, could require five to ten years before safe repurposing.
Community Concerns and Geographic Constraints
Protests in Badagry followed increased truck activity after waste diversion from other sites. LAWMA has engaged affected communities through consultations and implemented site management improvements.
Lagos’ geography presents further complications. In many areas, shallow excavation quickly reaches groundwater, making conventional landfills environmentally risky. This reality underpins the transition toward material recovery facilities, waste-to-energy plants and biogas systems.
Recently, LAWMA commissioned a market-based biogas plant that converts organic waste into cooking gas and electricity, while producing fertiliser as a byproduct.
The long-term legislative objective is to phase out new landfills entirely and encourage private-sector investment in modern treatment facilities. Countries such as the Netherlands and Sweden have banned landfills, while China operates over 1,000 waste-to-energy plants. Lagos aims to align with these global best practices.
Regulatory Intervention and Systemic Inefficiency
Where PSP operators fail to collect waste weekly, LAWMA intervenes. Residents experiencing poor service are encouraged to contact the agency via its toll-free line or official channels. In extreme cases, LAWMA deploys its own trucks to clear refuse — though this is not sustainable long-term.
Sanctions are applied without political interference, Gbadegesin insists. However, removing operators requires viable replacements, making reform an ongoing process.
Payment Compliance and Legacy Dump Sites
Financial sustainability remains a major obstacle. In high-performing districts, 60–70 per cent of residents pay waste bills. In others, compliance drops to 30–40 per cent.
Without revenue, operators struggle to maintain fleets and personnel. Clearing legacy illegal dump sites also demands heavy equipment and thousands of truck trips. LAWMA has secured state approval for additional equipment to address this.
To strengthen enforcement and monitoring, the agency is recruiting 300 environmental health officers. Once deployed, they will operate at ward level, focusing on education, compliance monitoring, and enforcement.
Yet, Gbadegesin emphasises that behaviour remains the greatest challenge. Some residents still leave waste by the roadside expecting government pickup. Lagos operates a house-to-house collection model. By law, residents must bag waste properly, register with PSP operators, keep property frontages clean, and clear drains.
Waste in public spaces, he warns, poses public health and security risks — attracting criminal activity and contributing to flooding.
Prosecution and Enforcement
Last year, over 1,000 arrests were recorded for environmental violations. Of these, 447 offenders were prosecuted. Penalties included jail terms and community service. Enforcement will continue, but authorities stress that education and behavioural change are equally critical.
Government alone, he argues, cannot clean up after nearly 27 million residents. Collective responsibility is indispensable.
Reaching Inaccessible Areas: Tricycle Compactors
In neighbourhoods with poor road networks where large trucks cannot operate, LAWMA is introducing tricycle compactors. Demonstration units have been brought in from Ghana and successfully test-run in Ibeju Lekki Local Government Area.
Surveys have been completed for deployment in Lagos Island East and parts of Alimosho. The initiative represents not just fleet expansion but appropriate technology deployment.
A flexible pay-as-you-go model is being considered in these areas. LAWMA is also exploring integration of willing cart pushers into the formal system by training them to operate tricycle compactors, preserving livelihoods while improving service delivery.
Grassroots Collaboration
Partnership with local governments is central to the reform agenda. Following the inauguration of new council chairmen last year, LAWMA requested the establishment of waste management task forces. Approximately 75 per cent of councils have complied.
These task forces include local government officers, environmental officers, Community Development Associations (CDAs), Community Development Committees (CDCs), and PSP operators. Some councils have independently procured compact trucks or introduced tricycle compactors. Ibeju Lekki led the way, and its chairman — now chair of council chairmen — is helping to scale adoption across other local governments.
A Multifaceted Reform Agenda
From fleet renewal and regulatory tightening to landfill decommissioning, methane capture studies, prosecution of offenders, recruitment of enforcement officers, grassroots partnerships and behavioural reorientation, Lagos’ waste strategy spans multiple fronts.
For Gbadegesin, success hinges on synchronising infrastructure upgrades with public compliance. If the hardware is strengthened, the regulatory framework updated, non-performing operators removed, and behavioural norms reshaped, he believes Lagos can transition from crisis management to sustainable environmental stewardship.
In a megacity of nearly 30 million people, he concludes, cleanliness is not solely a government obligation — it is a collective civic duty.