The Lagos State Government on Friday reiterated its commitment to revolutionise the State’s waste management process from a linear “collect and dump” system to a sustainable circular economy.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab made this known while addressing the media during the year 2025 Ministerial Press Briefing held at the Bagauda Kalto Press Centre, Alausa, Secretariat, Ikeja, saying that providing workable practical solutions to the management of generated waste would ensure that a drastically reduced quantum gets to the landfill sites.
He said the State generates over 13,000 metric tonnes of solid waste daily and the Government initiated the signing of several Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would not only develop waste-to-resource opportunities but improve the collection, and recycling of solid and liquid waste as well as the establishment of a smelting plant for the conversion of electronic waste which will transform Lagos as a leader in electronic waste recycling.
Wahab explained that the State Government also signed an MOU with a Dutch firm, Harvest Waste Consortium, for the construction of a high-efficiency 60-80 MW Waste-to-Energy plant aty Epe Landfill, which will utilize advanced technology to generate clean energy from municipal solid waste, commercial and industrial waste translating to the consumption of about 2,500 tonnes daily of municipal solid waste.
He added that the last MoU signed with Lafarge Africa/Geocycle will address the treatment of non-recyclable combustible waste and diversion of all waste from landfills, converting them into industrial energy, noting that this collaboration would position Lagos at the forefront of waste recovery, recycling and energy generation.
“Our attempt in the last year is to ensure Lagos evolves into a megacity with sustainable waste processing, modernised landfill management, cleaner waterways and structured Sanitation systems”, he said.
He explained that Lagos had been pragmatic and decisive in transitioning to a sustainable circular economy by banning the sale, distribution and use of Styrofoam food packs, a major contributor to urban flooding and clogged drains with positive results recorded from subsequent drainage clearance process adding that the enforcement of the ban on Single Use Plastics (SUPs) has commenced from the beginning of the Year 2025 while the promotion of sustainable alternatives and extended producer responsibility is being advocated.
He stressed that the Government has continued to facilitate meetings with concerned stakeholders as regards the Ban on styrofoam and single-use plastics, adding that during the period under review, 351 cubic meters of Styrofoam containers have been confiscated, which translates to 123.95 metric tonnes.
He said to sustain a clean city, 15,000 street sweepers are deployed across highways, inner roads and markets daily, whilst also ensuring stronger enforcement of environmental laws as well as penalising indiscriminate waste disposal defaulters alongside several measures.
The Commissioner added that the Government had also consolidated an enforcement campaign through collaboration with the sister paramilitary Agencies in line with the provision of the 2017 Lagos State Environmental Protection and Management Law to effect the arrest of almost 700 persons for highway crossing, which endangers their lives.
He stressed that the state government, in its effort to curb open defecation, is constructing additional modern public toilets in markets, transport hubs and informal settlements, just as the construction of 150 new public toilets is ongoing, and another 250 toilets are being executed through Public Private Partnership under the WASH initiative.
While maintaining that these facilities would improve access to proper sanitation/ hygiene across the State, the Commissioner averred that the Ministry has also inaugurated the Anti-Open Defecation Squad at Lagos Ibadan Expressway (Ojodu Berger axis) to ensure that environmental nuisances such as indiscriminate waste disposal, open urination and defecation on road medians and pedestrian walkway is eradicated in the axis while Clean-Up exercises was carried out at Ikeja Kodesho Bridge, Oshodi-Oke bridge and Iyana Iba interchange bridge.
KA/TMS/KO
