By Kingsley Adegboye

To achieve a sustainable waste management in Lagos, Nigeria’s most populous commercial city, environment stakeholders who gathered at a one-day forum organised by Property & Environment Writers’ Association of Nigeria (PEWAN), in the week have emphasised the need for stronger collaboration, policy enforcement and collective responsibility.

The theme for the forum was “Managing the Waste of 22 Million Lagisians-From Linear Disposal to Circular Economy: Role of PSP Operators and Other Waste Managers.” The speakers were Dr Olumuyiwa Gbadegesin and Dr Olugbenga Adebola, MD/CEO, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and President, Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), respectively.

Speaking, the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who was represented by Mr Kunle Adebiyi, Executive Director, Finance, LAWMA, stated that effective waste management in Lagos requires shared responsibility among residents, operators, and government.

Describing waste management as a critical urban governance issue with far-reaching implications for public health, flood control, environmental sustainability, and the overall functionality of the city, LAWMA boss noted that household waste collection across Lagos was the responsibility of licensed Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators under a structured, area-based system regulated and monitored by LAWMA.
According to him, over 450 operators currently serve communities across the state, pointing out that the effectiveness of the system depended not only on operational efficiency but also on the cooperation of residents in adopting proper waste disposal practices and patronising assigned PSP operators.
He said waste management as critical to public health, environmental sustainability and flood control, warned that
indiscriminate dumping of refuse and the patronage of illegal cart pushers continued to undermine structured waste management efforts and contributed to environmental challenges such as blocked drainage and flooding.
Gbadegesin said that as a coastal and highly urbanised city, Lagos must adopt a more disciplined and forward-looking approach to waste management, noting that improperly handled waste often ended up in canals, lagoons, and other water bodies.
He pointed out that beyond evacuation, the state was gradually promoting more sustainable waste practices, including waste sorting, recycling, and resource recovery, as part of a broader shift towards a more efficient and value-driven waste management system.
He said “this approach reflected a growing recognition that waste should not be seen solely as a disposal problem but also as a resource that could support economic activity and environmental sustainability when properly managed.”
He noted the ongoing efforts to strengthen system efficiency through improved monitoring, operational interventions and better coordination among PSP operators and other stakeholders in the waste management value chain.
Highlighting the important role of the media in shaping public behaviour and perception, Gbadegesin urged journalists to provide more context in reporting waste management issues and to promote responsible environmental practices.
In his contribution,
Dr Adebola who was the second speaker, emphasised the need for sustained collaboration among stakeholders,
describing waste management as a collective responsibility.
According to him, n
effective waste handling was directly linked to public health and environmental safety.
He said poor waste management contributes to diseases such as malaria, cholera and Lassa fever through blocked drainage, pest infestation and environmental pollution.
According to him, “open burning of waste releases toxic and carcinogenic substances, posing serious health risks, including respiratory illnesses and cancer.”
Continuing, he said the danger of plastic waste as a result of its mismanagement causes break down of micro plastics that contaminate water bodies and enter the food chain.
AWAMN boss who disclosed that Lagos generates over 20,000 metric tonnes of waste daily due to rapid urbanisation, therefore emphasised the need for stronger collaboration among waste managers rather than see themselves as
competitors.
In her welcome address, PEWAN chairman, madam Okwy Iroegbu-Chikrzie, noted the enormous challenge of waste management in Lagos as a megacity.
She said part of the solution to the problem necessitated the one-day PEWAN forum where the issue could be discussed as stakeholders.