The Lagos State Waste Management Agency (LAWMA) has announced plans to acquire 500 additional mobile tricycle compactors in 2026 as part of renewed efforts to tackle the surging waste management challenge confronting the state.
LAWMA’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed this during a media parley held on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, in Lagos.
Gbadegesin explained that the compactors, already deployed in hard-to-reach communities such as Ibeju-Lekki, would be extended to other parts of the state to enhance waste collection efficiency. According to him, Lagos requires a minimum of 2,000 compactors to manage its rising waste burden driven by rapid population growth, human activity and infrastructural limitations.
The LAWMA chief noted that the state’s four million households generate between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of waste daily, while the 450 Private Sector Partnership (PSP) operators currently operating in the state are able to collect only 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes per day.
“The balance is going into the drains, canals, lagoons and wetlands,” he said. “We have about 12 per cent of wetlands in Lagos, and people have been dumping waste on the wetlands.”
Gbadegesin urged residents to support the state’s waste-to-wealth initiative and desist from indiscriminate waste disposal, stressing that about 90 per cent of waste generated in Lagos had potential value if properly sorted and processed.
He added that Lagos has limited space for new landfill sites due to its aquatic nature, making sustainable waste management practices more urgent.
According to him, the state is transitioning from a linear waste disposal model to a more modern, environmentally friendly system where waste is treated as a valuable resource.
“The quantum of waste that will end up in the landfills will be reduced to the barest minimum,” he noted. “The biggest issue right now is infrastructure. When I talk of infrastructure, I mean the equipment and facilities needed to collect, transport, treat and dispose of the 13,000 tonnes of waste generated daily.”
Gbadegesin revealed that the agency is rolling out 80,000 smart bins but requires significantly more to adequately cover the state’s four million households. He appealed to residents to ensure regular payment of waste bills to enable PSP operators to function more effectively.
He also disclosed that 22 PSP operators had been delisted for failing to meet performance standards, with their slots reassigned to more competent companies.
The LAWMA boss reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to working closely with local government chairmen to ensure a cleaner Lagos. He called on them to take responsibility for waste management and curb indiscriminate street trading across their communities.
