Lagos State plans to unlock economic value from its waste management sector by upgrading key infrastructure, including Transfer Loading Stations (TLS) and Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), in a move aimed at improving efficiency, increasing recycling and supporting a circular economy.
The Managing Director and Chief Executive of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin, outlined the plans during a television interview on Wednesday. He said gaps in infrastructure had contributed to waste management challenges in Africa’s most populous city, adding that a rapidly expanding megacity such as Lagos required continuous investment in waste transfer and recovery systems.
According to Gbadegesin, the ongoing revamp of TLS and MRFs is expected to speed up waste evacuation, raise the volume of recoverable materials and ease pressure on final disposal sites. He said the upgrades would also open up new opportunities for private sector participation along the waste management value chain.
The LAWMA chief acknowledged the contribution of Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators, describing their work as demanding but critical to maintaining environmental cleanliness across the state. He said the authority provided support services to operators when operational challenges arose.
Gbadegesin also warned against illegal dumping, calling it an irresponsible practice commonly linked to informal settlements and unapproved locations. Such activities, he said, posed risks to public health and the environment.
He reiterated that residents were required to properly bag their waste, register with accredited PSP operators and pay for collection services to ensure efficient service delivery.
As part of efforts to promote a circular economy, LAWMA is piloting a waste-to-energy project at Ikosi-Ketu Market, where a biodigester is being used to convert organic waste into energy.
On enforcement, Gbadegesin said the authority would maintain a strict approach to environmental violations, including increased prosecution of offenders, while urging residents to avoid indiscriminate dumping and report infractions to the relevant authorities.
