The Lagos Waste Management Authority has assured residents that ongoing delays in waste evacuation across parts of the state will soon ease, as the Lagos State Government intensifies efforts to overhaul waste management infrastructure, including plans to procure 3,000 compactor trucks over the next three years.
Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, gave the assurance on Tuesday during an inspection of the rehabilitation works on Road E at the Olusosun Disposal Facility. He described the project as a critical intervention aimed at restoring seamless access for waste collection vehicles and improving evacuation efficiency across Lagos.
Gbadegesin explained that recent heavy rainfall had severely affected access roads within the Olusosun facility, slowing the movement of compactor trucks and contributing to the backlog of uncollected waste in some areas. He, however, expressed confidence that the ongoing rehabilitation—being executed by Zoomlion Nigeria under its Corporate Social Responsibility initiative—would significantly reduce turnaround time for trucks and restore normal operations.
According to him, the Olusosun facility receives about 10,000 metric tonnes of municipal waste daily, making it one of Africa’s busiest dumpsites and highlighting the need for uninterrupted access.
The LAWMA boss noted that while the state government plans to eventually decommission the Olusosun landfill, the process would be gradual and dependent on the availability of alternative infrastructure to handle the massive waste volume.
He identified the construction of two modern Transfer Loading Stations at Olusosun and Solous III as key to the transition, with each facility expected to process 2,500 metric tonnes of waste daily—far exceeding the capacity of existing stations.
Gbadegesin also revealed that the government had concluded plans to acquire 3,000 compactor trucks to boost waste collection capacity, with about 150 units, including tricycle compactors for hard-to-reach areas, expected before the end of the year.
He added that Lagos requires at least 2,000 operational compactors to effectively manage daily waste generation, stressing that the new fleet would strengthen Private Sector Participants and expand service coverage.
The initiative, he said, is part of a broader strategy to modernise Lagos’ waste management system, reduce dependence on landfills, and promote a circular economy through improved resource recovery.
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Gbadegesin appealed for patience from residents, assuring them that the current delays are temporary and will ease as infrastructure upgrades progress.
He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to delivering efficient and sustainable waste management services, while commending Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for continued investment in the sector.
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