The Lagos State Government will next year procure 100 new Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) compactor trucks as part of a 10-year development plan to modernise waste management infrastructure and ensure a cleaner, more efficient city.
This was disclosed by the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, during a media parley in Alausa, Ikeja, according to a statement by Adekunle Adeshina, Director, Public Affairs, Ministry of Environment and Water Resources.
Gbadegesin said the long-term programme will see the state introduce between 200 and 250 additional compactor trucks yearly until the waste management fleet is fully upgraded.
“To keep Lagos clean, we still need compactor trucks. Altogether, we need about 2,000 trucks – 1,000 for day-to-day fleet and 1,000 as backup,” he said.
He explained that the development plan will be supported by a statewide billing system based on full enumeration of households and automated billing.
“Through automation, you will now get a bill from the state government. When you pay and once we confirm that the PSP operators have done the job, we pay them. We are working towards transparency and accountability,” Gbadegesin added.
The LAWMA boss noted that Lagos residents are willing to pay for quality waste collection services and said the agency is committed to delivering improved efficiency.
As part of ongoing reforms, Gbadegesin disclosed that the state has terminated the contracts of 22 underperforming PSP waste operators this year and replaced them with more capable firms.
He also announced plans to acquire 500 mobile compactor tricycles by mid-2026 to address challenges posed by narrow and inaccessible roads in many communities.
Gbadegesin cited the success of the tricycle compactor model currently operating in Ibeju-Lekki, where collaboration between the local council and private entrepreneurs has resulted in improved waste collection.
“We have decided we can replicate this in other parts of Lagos. We recently met with all Local Governments, and they pledged to support the new system,” he said, adding that cart pushers could be absorbed and engaged under the model for better service delivery.
The LAWMA chief reiterated the government’s zero-tolerance stance on indiscriminate waste disposal, warning that offenders caught dumping refuse in drains, roads or unauthorised sites will face sanctions under state sanitation laws.
He urged residents to embrace waste sorting as a key step toward resource recovery.
“Ninety percent of what you throw away has value. Waste-to-wealth is the key to the survival of Lagos. We must start sorting our waste and giving it to those who need it,” he said.
Gbadegesin further revealed that Lagos is working toward phasing out landfill sites, with plans underway to decommission the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumps within 18 months.
“We have already gone two months into the 18-month timeline. We are committed to decommissioning them,” he said.
