By Lagos, Nigeria — The Lagos State Government announced on Thursday that it will make it compulsory for residents and businesses to separate their waste at the point of generation before disposal.
The government said the policy is part of plans to modernise the state’s waste management system and make better economic use of waste instead of dumping everything in landfills.
The announcement follows a disclosure on Tuesday by the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin.
Gbadegesin made the disclosure while featuring on a television programme, “The Conversation”, on LTV, where he said the state was moving away from treating waste only as rubbish to be dumped and instead seeing it as a resource that can be reused or recycled.
He said the policy direction aligns with Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s aim of reducing dependence on landfills and promoting recycling and material recovery in Lagos.
According to him, the government believes this shift will reduce pressure on existing dumpsites and attract more private investment into recycling and material recovery infrastructure.
Gbadegesin added that the state is considering mechanisms to support Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operators with access to new compactor trucks, citing the high cost of waste collection equipment.
On enforcement and service delivery, he disclosed that sanctions would be imposed on 22 underperforming PSP operators after repeated warnings and performance reviews.
He noted that this followed a similar action last year in which 27 PSP operators were disengaged for failing to meet required service standards.
Gbadegesin said the success of the initiative would depend on effective regulation, improved infrastructure, cooperation from private waste operators, and responsible behaviour by residents.
He emphasised that separating waste at the point where it is generated in homes, offices, markets, and businesses is key to achieving a cleaner and more sustainable Lagos.
