LASG COMMITTED TO REVOLUTIONISING WASTE MANAGEMENT PROCESS

…As Environment Commissioner briefs media on achievements

The Lagos State Government on Friday reiterated its committed 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 Bagaulda 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 get to the landfill sites.

He said the State generates over 13,000 metric tonnes of solid wastes daily and Government initiated the signing of several Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would not only develop Waste to resource opportunity but improved collection, recycling of solid and liquid waste as well as the establishment of a smelting plant for the conversion of electronic waste which will tranform 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 on 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 saying all these the collaboration would position Lagos at the fore front of waste recovery, recycling and energy generation.

“Our attempt in the last one year is to ensure Lagos evolves into a megacity with sustainable waste processing, modernized 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 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 meter of Styrofoam containers have been confiscated which translated to 123.95 metric tonnes.

He said in order 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 penalizing indiscriminate waste disposal defaulters alongside several measures.

The Commissioner added that Government had also consolidated an enforcement campaign through collaboration with the sister para-military 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 in order 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 on-going, another 250 toilets is being executed through Public Private Partnership under the WASH initiative saying these facilities would improve access to proper sanitation/ hygiene across the State .

He said 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 wastes 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.

According to him, the Environmental Enforcement Agency of the Ministry known as KAI has been in operation to compliment the functions of other Agencies in the Environment sector by ensuring strict adherence to the sanitation laws.

“Following the enforcement of the use of pedestrian bridges 6,789 persons were arrested for failure to use pedestrian bridges; The Agency also served 192 Environmental Abatement Notices, Arrested 150 people for Open Defecation on the pedestrian bridges who have dislodged and the bridges cleaned up”.

He added that a total of 3786 Street Traders, Environmental polluters and cart pushers were arrested and prosecuted saying Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) team in collaboration with the State Task force on Environmental and Special Offences also effected the clearing of rail tracks as well as demolition of shanties under the Apongbon Bridge, Lekki, Victoria Island, Agege, Obalende and Lagos Badagry Expressway.

He stressed that as a result of the partnership with various organisations in waste conversion, the state recorded less incidences of flash floods across the metropolis because the drains now effectively contain storm water run offs instead of being filled with waste, sand and silt.

He mentioned that in the last one year government had awarded over 300km of secondary collector drains and 70km of primary channels towards the concrete lining of drainage channels which are at various level of completions while some are newly awarded projects stressing that the constructions will enhance the effectiveness of the channels as well as reduce the rate of maintenance.

He added that from year 2023-2024, a total 22.9Km of Collector drains and 12.43km of Primary channels areas are in various level of completion within the State while an additional 36.44Km of collector drains are going through procurement process for award in the year 2025.

He stressed between the year 2023-2025 a cumulative total of 666,740.50 Kilometers of secondary collectors which means 397 Secondary Collectors across the state was Maintained/Cleaned while the removal of contraventions within the drainage Right-of-Way alignment restored 12 Primary Channels, 84 Secondary Collectors with a total length of 32.5km and 96km respectively.

Wahab said that the Emergency Flood Abatement Gang (EFAG)in the year 2024 cleaned up a total of 181collectors with a total length of 242 846.50 consisting of various dark spots and drainage channels while 72 collectors with a lenght of 166,846.50 have been cleaned so far in the year 2025.

“Government in 2024 commenced the deflooding of drainage Channels running in between schools across the state; a total of 18 channels were deflooded around Agege, Alimosho, Surulere, Epe, Ikorodu Badagry, Ajeromi-Ifelodun while another seven channels have been deflooded for the year 2025; all these channels contribute to the free flow of storm water” he said.

He mentioned that the State Government has awarded contracts to deflood the entire
Lagos Island consists of Oroyinyin, Idumagbo, Binuyo, Aroloya Epe, Ojo-giwa amongst others adding that project has commenced and will totally eliminate flooding issues on Lagos Island

“In order to eliminate the problem of Tidal effect, the state
Government has constructed a State of the art pumping station which is recorded as the first of its kind in Africa and this is at Ilubirin; the pumping station is designed to pump discharged storm from Lagos Island into the Lagoon via an elevated channel after the completion the regeneration Project” he said.

Wahab said the Ministry also engaged in the all year round Maintenance of the River Gauging Stations Located at Majidun-Awori, Ikorodu; Falomo, Ikoyi and Kara Bridge; Kara, for daily real time data gathering as well as analysis to enhance the flood alert system of the State.

He added that the government also engaged in all year round Maintenance of the Automatic Weather Stations at Agidingbi Grammar School, Ikeja, Government Senior Model College, Owutu, Ikorodu, and Government Senior College, Waziri Ibrahim, Victoria Island, for daily real time data gathering and analysis to enhance the flood prediction capacity of the State.

The Commissioner said the present administration is building a climate resilient Lagos investing in climate resilience measures such as urban greening programmes, enhancing air quality and reducing urban heat as well as an expansion of air quality monitoring systems to track pollution levels.

He added that as part of measures to ensure a greener and healthier Lagos, more parks were created and maintained as well as the planting of more trees to promote recreation while fighting the negative effect of climate change stressing that the Lagos State Parks and Garden Agency recently launched a “A Trees for Lagos campaign” to accelerate tree planting efforts through cluster and creation of urban forest gardens with the target of planting an additional 50,000 trees in two years to join the stock of trees already planted.

He said Government through the Lagos Water Corporation (LWC) has revived the 70MGD Adiyan II which will provide 70 million gallons of safe drinking water daily, benefiting over Five million Lagosians and significantly improve access to clean water across the state.

He added that the project is set for completion by 2027 saying LWC successfully re-commissioned the 2MGD Mosan Okunola in oder to restore water supply to the Baruwa-Abesan community, ending 25 years of water scarcity and significantly improving residents’ quality of life while the rehabilitation of the Isashi waterworks was concluded in 2024.

Signed
Kunle Adeshina
Director (Public Affairs)
MOE&WR
April 25, 2025