Oluwafunbi Bello 
LAGOS, Nigeria – The Lagos Waste Management Authority announces plans to procure 500 new mobile tricycle compactors, aiming to close the state’s widening waste-collection deficit.
Lagos produces between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of waste daily, yet current operators collect only 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes, according to LAWMA Managing Director Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin.
“The balance is going into drains, canals, lagoons and wetlands,” he says, warning that Lagos requires at least 2,000 compactors to operate effectively. The state currently deploys compactors to difficult-to-reach communities such as Ibeju-Lekki, but infrastructure gaps remain severe.
Gbadegesin confirms that 22 non-performing PSP operators have been removed, with their routes reassigned. He also announces the rollout of 80,000 smart bins, though this represents a fraction of what is needed for four million households.
Despite the crisis, he stresses the economic value of Lagos’ waste stream. “Ninety per cent of our waste has economic value,” he says. Lagos is shifting from linear disposal to a sustainable waste-to-wealth system, while limited land availability restricts new landfill development.
He urges residents to pay their waste bills and calls on local governments to expand enforcement and sanitation oversight.
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Mirian Gom 
Otamere Gladness 
Edino Chubiyo Cornelius 
Oluwatobi Adu