One week after Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, directed that the accumulated waste dotting different parts of the city state should be evacuated, there has been no significant difference as streets and roads have become illegal dumpsites.
In a statement on June 18, 2026, titled, ‘Sanwo-Olu Directs Waste Evacuation Across Lagos’, the state government said it acknowledges the concerns of residents regarding the recent accumulation of refuse in some parts of the state and wishes to assure Lagosians that the situation is receiving the highest level of attention from Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and the entire machinery of government.
“We are not oblivious to the inconveniences and concerns occasioned by the situation. Lagosians deserve a clean, healthy and environmentally sustainable city, and this administration remains fully committed to delivering on that obligation.
“Governor Sanwo-Olu has consequently directed an immediate scale-up of waste evacuation operations across the state, with relevant agencies and service providers working round the clock to clear backlogs and restore normalcy as quickly as possible.”
Yet, despite the directive, from Oshodi, to Mushin to Cele, Ago, Orile, Agboju, Mile 2, Ikotun, and Alaba to mention a few, huge refuse still dot the roads. In many of these places, along major road, it is not just that heap of refuse is on a location but on a long stretch of sections of the roads.
Yet, this is still the case in many locations across Lagos despite the government claimed additional resources have been deployed to support ongoing efforts, while strategic interventions are being implemented to strengthen operational efficiency and improve waste collection and disposal across affected areas.
The statement then added that: “The Governor has directed the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and all other departments in that sector to double down on their efforts.
“Lagos is a complex and rapidly growing megacity whose daily waste generation of about 13,000 tons ranks among the highest on the African continent. While occasional operational disruptions may occur within such a dynamic ecosystem, the capacity, determination and resolve of the Government to address them remain unquestionable.
“We wish to reassure residents that this challenge is temporary. Indeed, substantial progress is already being recorded in several locations, and more improvements will become visible across the state in the days ahead.
“The administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has invested significantly in environmental sustainability, waste management infrastructure and urban renewal initiatives over the years. Those efforts remain ongoing and will continue to be strengthened in line with the government’s vision of a cleaner, safer and more livable Lagos.
“We, therefore, appeal to residents to remain calm and confident. This is not a situation that will be allowed to linger. The Government is firmly on top of it and is pursuing a comprehensive response designed not only to clear the current accumulation but also to reinforce the long-term resilience of the state’s waste management architecture.
“We also urge citizens, community leaders, market associations, businesses and other stakeholders to keep supporting environmental sanitation efforts by disposing of waste responsibly and refraining from practices that obstruct drainage channels, roadways and designated waste collection points.
“The Lagos State government assures every resident that it remains fully committed to protecting public health, preserving environmental standards and ensuring that our communities remain clean, safe and conducive for all. A cleaner Lagos is not merely an aspiration; it is a commitment we will continue to deliver.”
A resident of Ago-palace, Akeem Salami said that rather than the waste in the area decreasing as a result of the directive, it has increased with more refuse dumped along the road.
According to him, the action is both the failure of government and the citizens though the citizens may claim PSP operators have not been coming as at even due.
He pleaded that the governor should back his words with action so that the refuse can disappear from the road. He said whenever he drives through the main road, he is not happy seeing the heap of waste and so was excited when he heard about the governor’s directive. “I am however disappointed that one week after nothing seems to be happening. It is not good at all.”
Also speaking, a resident of Orile, Tajudeen Adebayo, said that he doubted if any action was taken following the governor’s order. According to him, nothing seems to have changed in terms of the refuse that has taken over different sections of Lagos roads and communities.
“If truly action was taken after the governor’s instruction, it will be visible to the eyes but nothing has changed. Come to Orile and neighbouring communities, heaps of refuse are still there and it is not as if they were packed and residents dump another waste at the locations,” Adebayo stated.