.as LAWMA evacuates 418,500 tonnes of waste in May

By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Lottery and Gaming Authority has donated 10 brand-new waste compactor trucks to the state government as part of efforts to address waste management challenges in the state.

Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, while speaking at a brief handover ceremony of the trucks yesterday, said the act demonstrates the power of inter-ministerial collaboration and corporate social responsibility.

According to Wahab, “This donation comes at a crucial time when we are scaling up our waste management operations to match the reality of a megacity that generates over 13,000 tonnes of waste daily.

“Let me be clear: we have moved decisively beyond the outdated collect-and-dump model into a sustainable zero-waste economy where waste is viewed as a valuable resource.

“We have signed multiple Memoranda of Understanding with local and international partners that will divert close to 5,000 metric tonnes from the daily waste stream through recycling, reuse, and resource recovery.

“These 10 new compactors will be strategically deployed to critical locations experiencing high waste generation and to communities that need enhanced evacuation services.

“They will improve our turnaround time, support the monthly environmental sanitation exercise, and help us sustain the cleaner Lagos we are building.

“I commend the Chief Executive Officer of the Lottery and Gaming Authority, Mr Bashir Abiola Are, for this commendable gesture that aligns perfectly with the vision of Governor Babajide Sanwoolu and Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, for a cleaner and more sustainable Lagos.”

The commissioner, therefore, urged other public institutions, private sector organizations, and corporate stakeholders to emulate the gesture, “because the task of keeping Lagos clean requires all hands on deck. Together, we will deliver a Cleaner Lagos and a Greater Lagos.”

LAWMA evacuates 418,500 tonnes of waste in May

Meanwhile, the Lagos Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, has said that its network of licensed Private Sector Participation, PSP, operators evacuated a total of 418,500 tonnes of waste across the State in May, representing an average daily evacuation of 13,200 tonnes.

The Managing Director, LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, who said the record was contained in the operational performance report for May 2026, added it underscored ongoing efforts to improve waste collection, environmental sanitation, and service delivery across the state.

Speaking on the report, Gbadegesin said that the Authority remained focused on improving operational efficiency, strengthening service delivery, and addressing pressure points within the waste management system.

He stated that 442 PSP operators remained active across Lagos State, while 27 routes were currently under review as part of ongoing efforts to optimise service coverage and improve collection efficiency.

Gbadegesin added that the authority cleared 173 waste blackspots during the reported period, covering road medians, markets, bus stops, and other public spaces impacted by indiscriminate waste disposal.

The LAWMA boss noted that the authority continued to strengthen its customer engagement systems, receiving 474 complaints and service requests during the month, while ongoing efforts were being made to enhance response times and improve service delivery across the State.

According to him, “LAWMA currently deploys 77 compactor trucks, five skip trucks, and 12 other operational equipment units across the State to support waste evacuation and environmental sanitation activities.”

Gbadegesin stated that ongoing service improvement measures include: route restructuring and optimisation, enhanced monitoring of PSP operations, infrastructure upgrades, equipment deployment, and sustained enforcement against environmental infractions.

He, therefore, urged residents to support government efforts by patronising approved PSP operators, reporting service gaps through official channels, and refraining from indiscriminate waste disposal.

According to him, Lagos operates one of the largest urban waste management systems in Africa, requiring continuous investment, infrastructure upgrades, enforcement, and stakeholder collaboration to meet the demands of a rapidly growing population.

The LAWMA boss reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to delivering cleaner communities, improving service standards, and building a more resilient and sustainable waste management system for Lagos State.