The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has unveiled a long-term strategy aimed at reducing the state’s dependence on dumpsites by accelerating resource recovery, expanding modern waste processing infrastructure, promoting environmental education and strengthening collaboration across the waste management value chain.
Speaking on the weekend edition of Traffic Radio’s Talk Time programme, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the Authority was repositioning Lagos for a future where dumpsites serve only as a last resort rather than the primary destination for municipal waste.
According to him, the strategy is driven by the understanding that dumpsites were never intended to provide permanent waste disposal solutions, particularly in a rapidly growing megacity like Lagos.
He explained that every landfill has a limited operational lifespan, making it essential to significantly reduce the volume of waste disposed of while investing in sustainable alternatives that recover value from waste materials.
Dr. Gbadegesin noted that LAWMA is deliberately transitioning from a waste disposal model to a resource management approach by increasing the proportion of municipal waste that is recovered, recycled and treated before reaching landfill sites.
As part of this transformation, he disclosed that the Authority is expanding investments in Material Recovery Facilities (MRFs), Transfer Loading Stations (TLSs), biodigesters, composting plants and other modern waste processing infrastructure designed to enhance resource recovery and minimise waste sent for final disposal.
He added that every tonne of waste diverted from dumpsites extends the lifespan of existing landfill facilities while creating opportunities for wealth generation, industrial growth, job creation and environmental sustainability.
The LAWMA boss further revealed that the Authority is intensifying waste sorting and recycling programmes to ensure recyclable and organic materials are separated at source and returned into productive use instead of being disposed of as mixed waste.
While highlighting infrastructure development as a critical component of the strategy, Dr. Gbadegesin stressed that lasting success depends equally on public awareness and behavioural change.
He explained that the LAWMA Academy has become the Authority’s flagship platform for environmental education, providing residents, schools, markets, estates, institutions and community groups with the knowledge and practical skills required to adopt responsible waste management practices.
According to him, the Academy is also fostering strategic partnerships with academic institutions, development organisations, professional bodies and private sector stakeholders to encourage research, innovation and practical solutions that will accelerate the growth of Lagos’ circular economy.
Reaffirming LAWMA’s commitment to environmental sustainability, Dr. Gbadegesin emphasised that the most sustainable waste is the waste that never reaches a dumpsite. He noted that every item recovered through recycling, composting and other resource recovery initiatives reduces pressure on landfill facilities while contributing to a cleaner, healthier and more resilient city.
He urged Lagos residents to embrace waste sorting at source, patronise only their assigned Private Sector Participants (PSPs) and actively participate in recycling initiatives, stressing that public cooperation remains indispensable to building a sustainable waste management system.
Dr. Gbadegesin reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to preparing Lagos for a future where waste is increasingly recovered, recycled and transformed into valuable resources, with dumpsites playing only a limited role within an integrated, resilient and environmentally sustainable waste management framework.
