Lagos Spends Over N1bn On Sanitation, Refuse Still Mounts

Despite the allocation and reported disbursement of over N1bn for sanitation infrastructure in 2025, heaps of refuse and dirt continue to line major roads across Lagos, raising concerns about the effectiveness of spending and the state’s waste management strategy.

THE WHISTLER‘s findings from the Lagos State Government Budget Implementation Report for Quarter 3, 2025, show that the Lagos State Ministry of Environment recorded a 90.8 per cent year-to-date performance under its “Provision of Sanitation Infrastructure Projects.”

The ministry had an original 2025 budget of N1.16bn for sanitation infrastructure.

As of the end of the third quarter, N1.05bn had been expended, leaving a balance of N106.23m. Quarter 3 performance alone stood at N205,832.60.

While the financial figures suggest significant commitment to sanitation infrastructure, observations on the ground indicate that waste evacuation challenges persist in several parts of the state.

Descending from the overpass bridge in Ikeja inward Iyana-Ipaja last Thursday, THE WHISTLER observed dirt and refuse littering sections of the road. From the Kola area down to Alakuko along the busy Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, bagged waste was seen strewn across parts of the corridor. At Ajegunle inward Toll Gate, heaps of refuse were also sighted along the expressway.

On Monday (March 2), THE WHISTLER further observed piles of waste at Ilepo, Iyana-Ipaja, and Dopemu. At all these locations, no waste bins were in sight.

Since last year, the Lagos State Government has intensified enforcement against illegal waste disposal, leading to the arrest of several offenders.

In December 2025, one Makinde Rasaq, 48, was apprehended for indiscriminate disposal of refuse and arraigned before the Special Offences (Mobile) Court in Oshodi, where he pleaded guilty to multiple counts, including illegal dumping, obstruction of officers, non-patronage of PSP operators, and breach of peace.

The court handed down sentences ranging from community service to imprisonment, and the offender was remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Facility.

Earlier, on January 22, THE WHISTLER reported that a large heap of waste had taken over the median at the Kola section of the Lagos -Abeokuta Expressway, stretching across a long distance and already spilling toward the main carriageway, thereby posing risks to motorists and pedestrians.

The continued accumulation of waste along this corridor comes a month after the Lagos State Government acknowledged operational challenges in the waste disposal system. In December 2025, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, admitted that residents’ concerns over waste build-up in some parts of the state were valid.

Wahab attributed the development to the decommissioning of the Olusosun Landfill, one of the state’s major dumpsites, which had necessitated adjustments in waste evacuation logistics.

According to him, refuse previously destined for Olusosun was being transported to alternative facilities in Epe and Badagry, a shift that increased turnaround time for Private Sector Participation operators and created temporary pressure within the evacuation system.

He explained that the longer travel distances had slowed down operations for some PSP operators, thereby affecting the frequency of waste collection in certain areas. To mitigate the impact, Wahab said the Lagos Waste Management Authority had been directed to provide immediate support in locations where PSP operators were overwhelmed.

The commissioner further stated that intervention activities were ongoing at identified black spots across the state and disclosed that discussions were underway regarding the procurement and deployment of additional trucks to enhance response times and improve evacuation efficiency.

In addition to logistical adjustments, Wahab said the state government was strengthening enforcement against illegal dumping.

He announced the establishment of a dedicated task force to combat roadside dumping and indiscriminate waste disposal, particularly those linked to illegal roadside trading. The team, he said, would operate with 24-hour surveillance and enforcement powers to ensure compliance with environmental laws.

“A dedicated Task Force has been established to specifically combat illegal roadside dumping and indiscriminate waste disposal caused majorly by illegal road side trading throughout Lagos. This team will be strategically deployed and fully empowered to enforce environmental laws without exception with their 24 hours surveillance and enforcement operations,” Wahab said.

However, more than two months after those assurances, waste continues to pile up at some areas in the state, suggesting that the measures may not yet have translated into visible improvements.