Commissioner of Environment and Water Resources,Mr. Tokunbo Wahab
Lagos Government Defends Waste Management and Flood Prevention Measures, Dismisses Criticism as Misleading
The Lagos State Government has defended its waste management and flood prevention strategies, describing as misleading claims that it is only clearing refuse after it accumulates while neglecting long-term solutions to environmental challenges.
The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made the clarification on Tuesday in response to criticisms of the state’s environmental policies by a governorship candidate in the 2027 elections during a recent television programme.
Wahab said it was important to distinguish between identifying existing environmental challenges and recognising the investments, infrastructure and operational reforms being implemented to address them.
He explained that Lagos was moving beyond emergency refuse evacuation to a more sustainable waste management system through the development of modern Transfer Loading Stations, Material Recovery Facilities, recycling and composting initiatives, as well as the Epe Waste-to-Energy project.
According to the Commissioner, the objective is to move away from decades of conventional waste disposal practices towards a circular economy in which waste can be converted into energy, reusable materials and economic value.
Lagos generates an estimated 13,000 to 15,000 tonnes of municipal waste daily, placing considerable pressure on its waste management infrastructure, particularly as the state’s population continues to grow and attracts a daily influx of people.
Wahab disclosed that the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators evacuated approximately 418,500 tonnes of waste in May 2026, averaging about 13,200 tonnes daily.
He acknowledged, however, that the volume of waste collected does not necessarily translate into satisfactory services for every resident, admitting that collection failures, underperforming PSP operators and operational bottlenecks remain significant challenges.
The Commissioner explained that waste management operates as an interconnected system, where delays at disposal facilities affect truck turnaround times, disrupt collection schedules and contribute to refuse accumulation in residential neighbourhoods.
Citing improvements at the Olusosun landfill, Wahab said the rehabilitation of Road E and the provision of additional disposal platforms had improved operational efficiency, with truck movements across disposal facilities rising to 1,866 in the week following the intervention.
At Olusosun, he said, truck movements increased from 574 to 1,012 trips, reflecting improvements in waste evacuation operations.
To strengthen accountability and service delivery, the Commissioner said the state was enhancing property enumeration, geocoded service locations, GPS tracking, weighbridge measurements, collection records and waste recovery data.
He added that reforms within the PSP system included monitoring operators’ performance, imposing sanctions and terminating contracts where necessary.
Wahab stressed that a modern waste management system must be built on accurate data and measurable performance, noting that the government was working to improve transparency in waste collection and disposal.
While acknowledging that Lagos still had significant environmental challenges to address, he maintained that portraying the state’s efforts as nonexistent would overlook ongoing investments, infrastructure development and operational reforms.
The Commissioner also clarified that the monthly environmental sanitation exercise was not intended to replace an efficient daily waste collection system, stressing the need to assess environmental performance through measurable indicators.
These, he said, include the volume of waste collected, completed collection routes, missed pickups, complaint resolution, recurring refuse blackspots and the quantity of waste diverted from landfills.
Wahab said the government was addressing fundamental questions about whether every household had an assigned waste collector, whether operators possessed adequate equipment, whether scheduled collection routes were completed and whether residents’ complaints received timely attention.
He also emphasised the importance of ensuring that collected waste was properly treated, recovered or disposed of, rather than relying on emergency evacuation as a substitute for consistent daily collection.
On flood prevention, the Commissioner said the Lagos State Government had invested in drainage infrastructure, pump stations, year-round drainage maintenance, flood abatement operations, wetland preservation and the removal of structures erected on floodplains.
He also cited the state’s ban on styrofoam and certain single-use plastics as part of broader efforts to reduce drainage blockages and improve environmental sustainability.
According to Wahab, these interventions have contributed to an estimated 75 to 80 per cent reduction in flooding incidents statewide, although he acknowledged that significant challenges remain.
He described as misleading suggestions that the government was ignoring flooding, arguing that the state’s interventions should be considered alongside the geographical and climatic realities confronting Lagos as a coastal megacity.
The Commissioner noted that Lagos faces additional flood risks associated with its coastal location, tidal locks, rapid urbanisation and the growing impact of climate change, which can intensify flash flooding even in areas with drainage infrastructure.
Wahab maintained that no drainage system could completely eliminate flash flooding in a coastal city exposed to intense rainfall, rising water levels and other environmental pressures.
He cited flooding in other parts of the world, including Amsterdam, Thailand, Nepal, Afghanistan and the United States, to illustrate that flooding remains a challenge across different geographical settings, including coastal and landlocked regions.
The Commissioner called for environmental discussions to be guided by geographical realities, climate considerations and measurable outcomes, rather than political rhetoric.
He maintained that while Lagos still had work to do in improving waste collection, drainage maintenance and flood resilience, public assessments of its environmental policies should take account of both existing challenges and the interventions already undertaken.
The government’s response comes amid growing public concern over refuse accumulation, blocked drainage channels and recurrent flooding in parts of Lagos, highlighting the need for sustained investment, transparent performance data and effective environmental services to protect residents and their livelihoods.</WritingBlock>
