Sanwo-Olu orders LAWMA reforms, tackles Lagos Waste crisis
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered measures to address persistent waste collection problems in Lagos, including the rehabilitation of access roads to dumpsites, the deployment of additional compactors and a restructuring of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
Sanwo-Olu announced the measures on Wednesday during an inspection of the Olusosun landfill in Ojota, where the state is developing a Transfer Loading Station, followed by a meeting with key stakeholders in the waste management sector.
*L-R: Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, and the Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, during an inspection visit to the Olusosun Dumpsite, Ojota, Lagos, on Wednesday, September 9, 2026.
Etim Ekpimah
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered measures to address persistent waste collection problems in Lagos, including the rehabilitation of access roads to dumpsites, the deployment of additional compactors and a restructuring of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).
Sanwo-Olu announced the measures on Wednesday during an inspection of the Olusosun landfill in Ojota, where the state is developing a Transfer Loading Station, followed by a meeting with key stakeholders in the waste management sector.
The governor acknowledged that waste collection had slowed across parts of the state in recent weeks, blaming the situation partly on the inability of some Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators to meet their collection obligations.
He said the government had declared a state of emergency on waste collection and was implementing immediate measures to restore efficient evacuation of refuse from homes and streets.
According to him, waste compaction is currently taking place at the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites, following the disruption caused by fire incidents at the facilities.
“Over the past couple of weeks, we have seen pressure and a slow turnaround in waste collection in different parts of the city. We have also seen residents throwing waste indiscriminately in undesignated areas,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He said the state was working with development partners to build a 2,400-tonne Transfer Loading Station at Olusosun to receive compacted waste before it is moved to Material Recovery Facilities for sorting and recycling.
A second Transfer Loading Station of similar capacity is being developed at Solous 3 in Alimosho. Sanwo-Olu said access improvements were being undertaken at the facility, with the work expected to be completed within two to three weeks.
The governor said stabilising roads leading to the state’s five dumpsites was another immediate priority to ensure that waste trucks could gain easier access and improve collection turnaround times.
He directed the rehabilitation of access roads to the Ewu Elepe and Oke Oso dumpsites and disclosed that the state had procured 160 modern waste compactors expected to arrive from abroad soon.
Sanwo-Olu also said development partners working with LAWMA would provide additional compactors, while the government would consider acquiring specialised landfill compactors for use at disposal sites.
He said the capacity of PSP operators also needed to be reviewed, noting that some operators lacked the equipment required to serve a city the size of Lagos.
The governor said PSP operators had agreed to reassess their operations and eliminate companies without the capacity to meet their obligations.
“We don’t want to have a situation where we will have 800 PSP operators for a job that can only be done by 400 operators,” he said.
He added that PSP operators were also planning to acquire additional trucks, while the state government would work with them to reduce the financial risks associated with the investments.
Sanwo-Olu said the government’s medium- and long-term strategy included the development of Transfer Loading Stations and Material Recovery Facilities to improve waste handling, recycling and disposal.
Two Material Recovery Facilities are being developed at Oke Oso in Epe and Erekiti in Badagry. The governor said the projects would support a system in which waste is compacted at transfer stations before being moved to recovery facilities for sorting and recycling.
Sanwo-Olu also warned residents against dumping refuse indiscriminately, directing that those offenders caught dumping waste in unauthorised locations should be prosecuted.
He further criticised weaknesses in the supervision of waste management operations and announced plans to reorganise LAWMA to improve the agency’s efficiency and oversight of the system.
The governor said the measures were intended not only to address the immediate waste collection crisis but also to establish a more sustainable waste management system for Lagos.
