Key Points
• Sanwo Olu declares a “small state of emergency” over waste management challenges in Lagos.
• Government plans to raise Olusosun’s daily waste reception capacity and deploy 160 new compactor trucks.
• Four active dumpsites are expected within six weeks, with additional facilities planned as longer term solutions.
Main Story
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu has declared what he described as a “small state of emergency” on waste management following mounting pressure on refuse collection and disposal across the state.
Sanwo Olu made the declaration on Wednesday during an inspection of the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota, where he assessed the challenges affecting waste management operations across the state.
The governor said the state had experienced increased pressure on waste collection in recent weeks, leading to indiscriminate dumping of refuse in parts of the metropolis.
He said immediate interventions would focus on expanding the capacity of existing disposal sites and improving the movement of waste trucks, while infrastructure projects would provide medium and long term solutions.
At Olusosun, the government plans to increase daily waste reception from between 250 and 350 trucks to between 350 and 450 trucks.
Sanwo Olu said the number of tipping points would also be increased from the current two or three to about four or five to reduce the time trucks spend at the facility.
Similar interventions are planned for Solu 3, Iwulepe in Ikorodu and Oke Osho in Epe, while Erikitte in Badagry is also being developed to increase waste reception capacity.
The governor said the aim was to have four active dumpsites within six weeks, with a fifth facility in Badagry.
He also announced the procurement of 160 new compactor trucks to strengthen waste collection from homes and roads to disposal facilities.
According to him, Zoomlion will procure additional compactors, while the state government will acquire landfill compactors for use at disposal sites.
Sanwo Olu said the government was also constructing two 2,400 metric tonne transfer loading stations at Olusosun and Solu 3.
The facilities will receive compacted waste before it is moved to material recovery facilities planned for Oke Osho in Epe and Erikitte in Badagry.
He said the transfer stations would be capable of receiving about 500 trucks daily, while the recovery facilities would support waste sorting and conversion into useful materials.
The Issues
Lagos has been dealing with pressure on its waste collection and disposal system, with the governor acknowledging that recent efforts, including monthly environmental sanitation and public advocacy, had not been sufficiently coordinated.
The immediate challenge is to increase the capacity of disposal sites and reduce truck waiting times. Sanwo Olu said some trucks currently spend as much as 12 hours or an entire day waiting to discharge waste.
The state is also reviewing the operations of Private Sector Participants to determine which operators have the capacity and technical expertise to remain in the system.
What’s Being Said
“We are here for ourselves to see what the problem is and what is happening, so that we can clearly declare what we will call a small state of emergency.” – Babajide Sanwo Olu
“We are hoping that in another six weeks, we will have four active dump sites, Olusosun, Solu 3, Iwulepe and Oke Osho with a fifth one at Erikitte in Badagry.” – Babajide Sanwo Olu
“Lagosians, in particular, want service, but we do not want to pay for the service. I think this era has to stop.” – Babajide Sanwo Olu
What’s Next
The government expects the additional tipping points and other operational interventions to increase the number of trucks that can discharge waste daily.
Sanwo Olu said the state would also review PSP operators and remove ineffective participants while creating room for investors with the capacity to provide waste management services.
The government is also considering financing models that would help PSP operators acquire equipment without becoming financially distressed.
In the longer term, the transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities are expected to provide infrastructure for waste reception, sorting and conversion.
The governor also urged residents to pay for waste collection services, saying PSP operators needed payments to sustain their operations.
Bottom Line
Lagos has declared a “small state of emergency” on waste management as the government moves to address pressure on refuse collection and disposal. Immediate measures include expanding dumpsite capacity and acquiring 160 compactor trucks, while new transfer and material recovery facilities are planned as longer term solutions.
