Lagos State Government Leads Drive Towards Sustainable Waste Management.
The Lagos State Government has announced significant progress in its efforts to revolutionise waste management and environmental protection, arresting and prosecuting 3,786 street traders, environmental polluters, and cart pushers over the past year.
Speaking at the 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagaulda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, emphasised the government’s commitment to transitioning from the traditional “collect and dump” approach to a sustainable circular economy.
Highlighting the state’s challenges, Wahab noted that Lagos generates over 13,000 metric tonnes of solid waste daily. To tackle this, the government has signed several Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) aimed at developing waste-to-resource opportunities, enhancing waste collection and recycling, and establishing a smelting plant to transform electronic waste, positioning Lagos as a leader in e-waste recycling.
Among the key initiatives, the state signed an agreement with the Dutch firm, Harvest Waste Consortium, for the construction of a high-efficiency 60-80 MW Waste-to-Energy plant at the Epe landfill. This plant is expected to consume around 2,500 tonnes of municipal, commercial, and industrial solid waste daily, converting it into clean energy.
Additionally, an MOU signed with Lafarge Africa/Geocycle will facilitate the treatment of non-recyclable combustible waste, diverting it from landfills and converting it into industrial energy. These initiatives, Wahab stated, would place Lagos at the forefront of waste recovery, recycling, and sustainable energy generation.
“Our aim over the past year has been to evolve Lagos into a megacity with sustainable waste processing, modernised landfill management, cleaner waterways, and structured sanitation systems,” he said.
In a further effort to combat urban flooding and clogged drains, the state government banned the sale, distribution, and use of Styrofoam food packs. Enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) also commenced at the beginning of 2025. As a result, 351 cubic metres of Styrofoam containers, equating to 123.95 metric tonnes, have been confiscated.
To maintain cleanliness across the state, Wahab revealed that 15,000 street sweepers are deployed daily across highways, inner roads, and markets. The government has also intensified the enforcement of environmental laws, penalising indiscriminate waste disposal defaulters and arresting nearly 700 individuals for dangerous highway crossing.
Wahab reiterated that the Lagos State Government remains steadfast in its vision to build a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable future for all residents.
