The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has unveiled what he described as a new protocol for waste management in Lagos, anchored on strengthened public-private partnerships and improved engineering solutions to tackle the state’s waste disposal challenges.
Speaking during the commissioning of the rehabilitated access road and tipping platforms at the Olusosun Landfill in Ojota, Dr. Gbadegesin said the intervention marked a significant milestone in the ongoing reform of Lagos’ waste management system.
The rehabilitation, executed by ZoomLion Nigeria Limited as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), involved the reconstruction of Road E and two tipping platforms at the landfill to improve access for waste collection trucks and ease operations at the facility.
According to the LAWMA boss, the project represents an expansion of the existing partnership between the authority and private sector operators beyond waste collection into technical and engineering collaboration.
“What you are seeing here today is the beginning of new protocols for waste management in Lagos,” he said.
“In Lagos, we have always relied on partnerships. LAWMA is the regulator, while the Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators are our primary partners. We also work with recycling companies and other stakeholders. However, today’s partnership goes beyond waste treatment to include technical and engineering collaboration that improves the management of our landfills.”
Dr. Gbadegesin explained that members of the media were invited to witness the project firsthand to better appreciate the complexity and engineering required in modern waste management.
“Waste management is resource-intensive. You cannot fully understand the effort involved unless you see the operations yourself. Experts had to be brought in from Kenya, Ghana and other countries because Lagos was facing an emergency that required innovative solutions,” he said.
He commended ZoomLion Nigeria for delivering the project within record time despite difficult weather conditions and exceeding LAWMA’s expectations.
“If you look around, you will see one of the most heavily engineered access roads and landfill platforms we have had in recent times. Those who will use this facility will testify to the ease of access and quicker turnaround time it will provide,” he added.
The LAWMA MD thanked Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, and ZoomLion Nigeria for making the intervention possible, expressing optimism that it would pave the way for deeper collaboration in the future.
Earlier, representatives of ZoomLion Nigeria said the company undertook the rehabilitation after responding to LAWMA’s request for assistance at the site.
The firm’s project lead explained that although the scope of work eventually exceeded the initial estimates, the company remained committed to completing the project.
“We inspected the site, developed a management plan and started the work. As the project progressed, we realised the volume of work was much more than anticipated, but there was no turning back.
“We created two tipping platforms using hard rock and laterite materials to ensure that trucks can access the site with ease. Despite the rains and difficult conditions, we completed the project because we were determined to support LAWMA in addressing the operational challenges at the landfill,” he said.
The company described the intervention as an opportunity to demonstrate its technical capacity and reaffirm its commitment to supporting sustainable waste management in Lagos.
Addressing concerns over the future of the Olusosun Landfill, Dr. Gbadegesin clarified that the facility has not been shut down, contrary to public perception.
He recalled that the Lagos State Government had announced plans to phase out operations at the landfill within 18 months after construction begins on transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities.
“We never said the site had been closed. We announced that activities would gradually wind down within an 18-month timeline. What we have done here is reclaim a section of the landfill to create additional disposal space while we continue the transition.
“This will also help clear the backlog of waste that has accumulated on major roads because it is unacceptable for refuse to remain on our highways,” he said.
The LAWMA chief disclosed that ZoomLion is also partnering with the state government to develop transfer loading stations and material recovery facilities that will commence operations in the coming months.
He noted that the state was making significant investments in modern waste infrastructure, including transfer loading stations, material recovery facilities, waste-to-energy plants and biogas facilities, to meet the demands of Lagos’ rapidly growing population.
While acknowledging operational challenges facing waste collection, Dr. Gbadegesin stressed that residents also have a critical role to play in keeping the city clean.
“It is incorrect to say that the challenge is only about dump sites. Behaviour is also a major issue. Every household is expected to have a waste bin and subscribe to a PSP operator.
“If residents do not pay for waste collection, how do operators buy diesel, maintain their trucks, replace tyres and batteries, or pay their workers? Waste management requires resources,” he said.
He also urged Lagos residents to stop indiscriminate dumping of refuse on roads and medians, insisting that cleanliness can only be achieved through collective responsibility.
“Lagos will be free of waste when Lagosians decide that Lagos should be free of waste. In many countries, people keep their waste with them until they find an appropriate place to dispose of it. We need that same culture here.
“If there is any delay in waste collection, residents should contact LAWMA directly instead of dumping refuse on the roadside.”
He advised residents experiencing delays in waste evacuation to report such cases through LAWMA’s customer service line for prompt intervention.
On the cost of the rehabilitation project, Dr. Gbadegesin said the initiative was executed entirely under ZoomLion Nigeria’s Corporate Social Responsibility programme and therefore did not impose any financial burden on the Lagos State Government.
“We appreciate this gesture and hope that by making good use of this facility, our partners will be encouraged to do even more for Lagos,” he said.
Gbadegesin unveils waste management protocols as ZoomLion rehabilitates Olusosun Landfill
