Inside Lagos waste, flood crisis: Are local governments pulling their weight?

Residents across Lagos are increasingly questioning whether local governments are effectively managing the city's escalating waste and flood crises. Large piles of refuse are accumulating on major roads, in markets, and residential areas, while neighborhoods are repeatedly submerged after heavy rainfall. This situation has prompted residents to ask why waste management and drainage maintenance remain significant challenges, particularly as the 57 Local Government Areas (LGAs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) receive monthly statutory allocations. The urgency of the issue has intensified in recent months, with refuse uncollected for days or even weeks in some locations, causing overflowing bins to spill onto roads and into drainage channels. Simultaneously, flash floods have become more frequent, disrupting businesses, damaging property, and worsening traffic congestion. While the Lagos State government points to indiscriminate dumping of refuse into drains as a primary cause of flooding, many residents contend that LGAs and LCDAs have not done enough to prevent such practices or to complement state efforts through regular refuse evacuation, environmental sanitation, enforcement, and drainage clearing. This debate has reignited discussions about the constitutional duties of local governments and whether they have neglected critical environmental responsibilities despite regular funding from the Federation Account. Under Nigeria's constitution, local governments are expected to actively participate in environmental sanitation, waste management, public health, and local infrastructure maintenance. Although Lagos has established agencies like the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and the Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources to coordinate environmental policies, experts believe their effectiveness hinges on cooperation from the councils closest to the populace. These local governments are seen as possessing the grassroots structures necessary for monitoring refuse disposal, maintaining inner roads and drainage systems, educating residents, and enforcing environmental regulations. However, observations indicate that many residents feel councils have become largely invisible in these roles, leaving the state government to bear a substantial burden in a rapidly growing city.