Shared Responsibility Key to Managing Waste in Lagos — LAWMA
The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has stressed that effective waste management in Lagos requires collective action from residents, operators, and government.
Gbadegesin made this known at the annual conference of the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria, held at the NECA House on Wednesday. He addressed the growing complexities of managing waste in a megacity with a population exceeding 22 million.
Represented by the agency’s Executive Director of Finance, Kunle Adebiyi, the LAWMA boss described waste management as a critical urban governance issue with far-reaching implications for public health, flood control, environmental sustainability, and the overall functionality of the city.
He explained that household waste collection across Lagos is handled by licensed Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators under a structured, area-based system regulated by LAWMA. According to him, more than 450 operators are currently engaged in servicing communities across the state.
Gbadegesin emphasised that the effectiveness of this system depends not only on operational efficiency but also on residents’ compliance with proper waste disposal practices and their patronage of assigned PSP operators.
He warned that indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the use of illegal cart pushers continue to undermine structured waste management efforts, contributing to environmental challenges such as blocked drainage systems and flooding.
Highlighting Lagos’ status as a coastal and highly urbanised city, he noted the urgent need for a more disciplined and forward-looking approach, pointing out that improperly managed waste often finds its way into canals, lagoons, and other water bodies.
The LAWMA chief further revealed that the state is gradually advancing more sustainable waste practices, including sorting, recycling, and resource recovery, as part of a broader transition towards a value-driven waste management system.
He added that this evolving approach reflects a growing recognition of waste not merely as a disposal challenge but as a potential economic resource when efficiently harnessed.
Gbadegesin also pointed to ongoing efforts to enhance system efficiency through improved monitoring, operational interventions, and stronger coordination among PSP operators and other stakeholders in the waste management value chain.
He underscored the role of the media in shaping public attitudes and behaviours, urging journalists to provide deeper context in their reports and to actively promote responsible environmental practices.
He concluded that achieving a cleaner and more sustainable Lagos requires sustained collaboration among government, operators, communities, and the media.
