Lagos refuse crisis worsens as trash overruns communities

Lagos State is grappling with an escalating waste management crisis, as uncollected refuse continues to accumulate in numerous communities. Heaps of trash are growing larger, particularly in areas like Oshodi, Isolo, Ajao Estate, and Mushin, turning some streets into "mini dumpsites" and posing significant health risks.

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When you first came here, we thought something would be done. Instead, the refuse has increased. People keep dumping waste because there is nowhere else to take it. What you are seeing now is worse than before.

Residents describe a worsening situation with stronger odors, an increase in flies, mosquitoes, and rodents, and dirty water flowing into streets during rainfall. The monthly environmental sanitation has offered little relief, with waste from clean-up exercises remaining uncollected. Traders report that the refuse is deterring customers, impacting local businesses.

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The smell is stronger now, and when it rains, dirty water from the refuse flows into the streets. Flies, mosquitoes and rodents are everywhere.

Concerns are mounting that the overflowing waste could exacerbate flooding as the rainy season intensifies, with several drainage channels already partially blocked by refuse. Residents warn that heavier rains will lead to complete blockages and severe consequences.

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Once we clear the drains and gather the waste, the rain washes it back because the PSP operators don’t come to evacuate it. Some customers see the refuse and turn back.

Private Sector Participants (PSPs) attribute the crisis partly to congestion and long queues at the Olusosun dumpsite, Lagos's largest waste disposal facility. This bottleneck slows down waste evacuation across the sprawling metropolis. A waste management policy analyst noted that Lagos generates over 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, indicating that current structures are struggling to cope with the demand and underscoring the need for urgent reforms in the waste management sector.

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Once the rains become heavier, these drains will be completely blocked, and we will suffer the consequences.