Lagos Intensifies Efforts Against Illegal Waste Disposal

Illegal refuse disposal has been identified as a significant issue contributing to persistent black spots in Lagos. Dr.

Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), stated that residents and businesses often bypass approved waste collection channels to evade payment for waste management services. In response, LAWMA is intensifying its efforts to restore environmental sanitation across Lagos, particularly in areas like Apapa.

The agency is conducting major clean-up interventions and has expanded waste collection options, including the deployment of tricycle compactors to improve waste evacuation in areas inaccessible to conventional compactor trucks. Gbadegesin lamented the substantial public resources spent on clearing illegal waste dumps, which quickly reappear due to ongoing indiscriminate dumping practices.

He urged residents to embrace waste sorting at the source and to comply with environmental regulations to support sustainable waste management and contribute to a cleaner environment.