Lagos Secures Host Communities’ Backing for Agbowa Recycling Facility
Korede Abdullah 
Lagos Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos State Government has secured the support of traditional rulers and community leaders in Owu-Ikosi and Agbowa-Ikosi for the commencement of a proposed Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in Agbowa, Epe Division, following consultations aimed at resolving concerns surrounding the project.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, disclosed this on Tuesday after a stakeholders’ meeting with the host communities.
According to Wahab, the engagement was designed to ensure that residents understood the project, accepted it and took ownership before construction began.
He described the proposed facility as more than a waste management project, saying it would serve as a major environmental and economic development initiative focused on waste recovery, recycling and sustainable resource utilisation.
“It is a major development we are bringing to that site, and we have been very deliberate about how we spread development across the state,” Wahab said.
Permanent Secretary, Lands Bureau, Mr Kamar Olowoshago, commended the traditional rulers and community leaders for their constructive engagement, noting that the understanding reached had cleared the way for construction to begin.
He also revealed that a similar Material Recovery Facility is already under construction at Erekiti in Badagry as part of the state’s broader waste management strategy.
Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Mr Gaji Omobolaji, said the Agbowa facility would significantly reduce the volume of waste ending up in landfills by promoting recycling and resource recovery.
He said the project aligns with the Sanwo-Olu administration’s commitment to sustainable environmental management and increased community participation in waste management.
Wahab added that agencies including the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development and the Lands Bureau would work closely with consultants to deliver the project successfully.
The Olowu of Owu-Ikosi, Oba Nelson Ogunlari, and the Abowa of Agbowa-Ikosi, Oba Owolabi Momson, expressed support for the initiative.
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