Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu.
Iyunade Grace
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered an immediate scale-up of waste evacuation operations across the state after refuse began piling up on streets and highways from the mainland to the island. In a statement issued on Thursday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Gboyega Akosile, the government acknowledged residents’ complaints and said the situation was receiving “the highest level of attention from Governor Sanwo-Olu and the entire machinery of government”. He assured Lagosians that the administration remains committed to delivering a clean, healthy and environmentally sustainable city.
The governor directed all relevant agencies and private service providers to work round the clock to clear the backlog and restore normal sanitation in affected communities. Specific instructions were given to the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the Lagos Waste Management Authority LAWMA, the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency LASEPA, and other departments in the environmental sector to “double down on their efforts”. Additional resources have already been deployed to support ongoing operations while strategic interventions are being introduced to improve efficiency in collection and disposal.
One major factor behind the current backlog is the ongoing decommissioning of the Olusosun landfill. Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, explained that refuse previously destined for Olusosun is now being transported to alternative facilities in Epe and Badagry, which has increased turnaround times for Private Sector Participation PSP operators. To mitigate the pressure, LAWMA has been directed to provide immediate support to overwhelmed operators and a dedicated task force has been set up to combat illegal roadside dumping and indiscriminate disposal.
Lagos generates about 13,000 tonnes of waste daily, one of the highest volumes on the African continent, and the government says occasional operational disruptions can occur in such a large and complex system. Officials maintain that the capacity and determination to tackle the challenge remain unquestionable. They described the current refuse accumulation as temporary and said substantial progress is already being recorded in several locations, with more improvements expected to become visible across the state in the coming days.
Residents have been urged to remain calm and patient while the emergency clean-up continues. The administration also appealed to citizens to patronise approved PSP operators, bag waste properly, and avoid patronising cart pushers or dumping on roadsides and drains. Wahab noted that proper waste disposal and regular cleaning of drainage channels remain critical to flood prevention as the rains intensify, and that clearing drains simultaneously with street waste is “the first and most effective line of defence” against flooding.
The latest directive is not the first time Sanwo-Olu has intervened directly in waste management this year. Earlier in 2026 the government reintroduced monthly environmental sanitation and summoned PSP operators over irregular collection in densely populated areas like Alimosho. Sanwo-Olu has also invested heavily in new equipment, including 102 compactor trucks and 100 bins, and announced plans for a $400m waste recycling plant, three new transfer-loading stations, and expansion of the Lagos Recycling Initiative under his THEMES+ agenda.
The emergency order has drawn mixed reactions. While many residents welcomed the swift response, 2023 LP governorship candidate Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour described it as “an admission of failure, not a solution”, arguing that Lagosians need a functional waste system that prevents build-up rather than periodic emergency evacuations. The government responded that Lagos is a rapidly expanding megacity and that it is pursuing a comprehensive response that balances immediate clean-up with long-term infrastructure and efficiency reforms.
