The Lagos Waste Management Authority is changing how it tackles recurring waste blackspots across the state. Instead of repeatedly clearing rubbish from the same locations, the agency now wants to address the causes of illegal dumping.
The new approach combines waste evacuation with measures aimed at changing dumping behaviour in affected communities.
The Managing Director of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed the strategy while explaining the agency’s response to persistent waste on road medians and other public spaces.
He said repeated evacuation alone could not solve the problem. According to him, waste often returns to locations shortly after officials clear them.
As a result, LAWMA is now focusing on both operational and behavioural factors that drive the problem.
Gbadegesin said the agency must do more than remove existing waste. It must also ensure that residents have effective channels for disposing of the waste they generate.
Therefore, the Lagos Waste Management Authority is combining backlog clearance with stronger waste collection efforts around affected communities.
The strategy seeks to ensure that waste generated within surrounding neighbourhoods enters the formal collection system. This, LAWMA believes, will reduce the pressure that creates recurring blackspots.
The agency’s approach also places greater emphasis on prevention. Rather than waiting for illegal dumps to grow before removing them, officials want to identify why residents continue to use the same locations.
Meanwhile, the move could improve the appearance of major roads and public spaces across Lagos. It could also reduce the environmental problems linked to uncontrolled waste disposal.
However, the success of the strategy will depend on cooperation between LAWMA, residents, businesses and other stakeholders.
Residents must use approved waste collection channels and avoid dumping rubbish on road medians and other public areas.
For LAWMA, the challenge is now clear: clearing waste is only part of the solution. Preventing its return will require consistent collection, public cooperation and stronger enforcement.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority says its evolving strategy is designed to move Lagos from repeated waste evacuation towards a more sustainable system of waste management.
