Anozie Egole
The Lagos State Waste Management Authority has stated that 400 cases of environmental infractions were prosecuted in 2025, including a recent instance of a man caught dumping indiscriminately and now serving a jail term.
This is even as LAWMA called on residents of the state to embrace responsible waste disposal practices, as proper handling of waste is central to achieving a cleaner, liveable, and sustainable city.
This was contained in Monday’s release by the Director of Public Affairs at LAWMA, Mukaila Sanusi.
According to the statement, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed this while featuring on Sunrise Daily, a flagship programme on Channels Television, where he spoke on the realities of waste management in a rapidly urbanising city and the shared responsibilities required to keep Lagos State clean and liveable.
Stressing LAWMA’s commitment to upholding environmental laws and ensuring accountability, Gbadegesin highlighted the impact of the agency’s enforcement efforts.
“400 cases of environmental infractions were prosecuted in 2025, including a recent instance of a man caught dumping indiscriminately, who is now serving a jail term.
Embrace responsible waste disposal practices, as proper handling of waste is central to achieving a cleaner, liveable, and sustainable city,” Gbadegesin said.
He said that LAWMA had continued ongoing waste evacuation and management operations across the state, adding that the agency was strengthening routine collection services and embarking on persistent clearing of identified flashpoints, “which resulted from indiscriminate dumping and poor waste handling that continued to undermine progress in the sector.”
While encouraging the adoption of basic sorting practices across the board, Gbadegesin emphasised the importance of waste sorting at source, explaining that separating recyclable materials from general waste would improve collection efficiency, support recycling activities, and reduce the burden on landfill sites.
Gbadegesin highlighted LAWMA’s growing focus on waste recycling, noting that waste should no longer be seen solely as refuse but as a resource with economic value.
“Recycling initiatives would lead to the creation of employment opportunities, encourage private sector participation, and contribute to environmental protection,” Gbadegesin stated.
The LAWMA boss advocated the adoption of a circular economy approach to waste management, “in which materials are recovered, reused, and recycled, offering significant economic and business opportunities while reducing environmental impact, as opposed to the prevailing linear system of collection and disposal.”
He called on residents to support these enforcement efforts by shunning indiscriminate dumping and reporting violations promptly, as citizens’ cooperation remains essential to maintaining cleanliness and order across the state.
He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to working with all stakeholders to strengthen waste management systems and promote a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient Lagos State.
LAWMA is a statutory agency of the Lagos State Government responsible for managing solid waste and sanitation across the state. It was established to address the growing challenge of waste generation resulting from rapid urbanisation, population growth, and economic activity in Lagos. It operates under the supervision of the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources and serves as the central body for coordinating waste collection, transportation, treatment, recycling, and disposal in the state.
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