To tackle Lagos’ growing waste management challenges, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Lagos Chapter, are teaming up to form a joint task force aimed at promoting a cleaner, healthier environment across the state.
This partnership was sealed during a courtesy visit by EHOAN officials to LAWMA’s Ijora Olopa headquarters, where both parties agreed that collaboration was essential to achieving meaningful environmental progress. LAWMA’s Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, acknowledged the vital role environmental health officers play in public health and sanitation, especially at the grassroots level.
Dr. Gbadegesin disclosed that LAWMA is undergoing significant reforms, including the closure of traditional landfills and the development of transfer stations. Waste collected in Lagos will now be routed to more advanced sites in Epe and Ikorodu. He also mentioned that each local government will soon have a materials recovery facility, and that waste-to-energy initiatives are also underway.
The head of EHOAN Lagos, Dr. Cyril Babasope, emphasized the importance of building a more responsive waste system—one that combines vigilance, active community participation, and reliable data. He noted that enforcing regulations requires a strong presence on the ground and urged the deployment of more officers to monitor and deter environmental violations, particularly the illegal dumping of refuse.
On his part, the national president of EHOAN, Dr. Samuel Akingbeyin, stressed the need for accurate data to support the officers’ work, adding that LAWMA’s task of managing waste from a population of over 25 million is commendable, but more can still be done.
LAWMA, in response, promised to deepen its investment in training and policy development and committed to reviving the old but effective “wole wole” system—where community-based environmental enforcement helped keep neighborhoods in check.
The visit ended with a shared resolve from both organizations to work closely in ensuring a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable Lagos.
