The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has revealed that transporting a 10-tonne load of waste with a compactor truck costs about ₦350,000 per trip, as the state battles rising waste generation and limited disposal infrastructure.
LAWMA Managing Director, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed this during a television interview while explaining the recent resurgence of waste in several parts of Lagos.
Gbadegesin said the high cost of waste transportation highlighted the urgent need for residents to reduce the volume of waste requiring evacuation through sorting, recycling and other waste recovery initiatives.
According to him, Lagos generates more than 17,000 tonnes of waste daily, placing significant pressure on the state’s waste-management infrastructure.
He noted that two major disposal facilities, Olusosun and Solus 3, had reached or exceeded their operational capacity.
While Solus 3 has been closed after becoming filled, Olusosun, which has operated since around 1991, is also undergoing a transition away from conventional landfill operations.
LAWMA Considers Mandatory Waste Sorting
The LAWMA boss said the authority was considering making waste sorting mandatory across the state.
He explained that separating recyclable, organic and other categories of waste at the point of generation would significantly reduce the amount of waste that needs to be transported to disposal sites.
Gbadegesin also expressed support for considering a future “pay-per-throw” model, which could allow households that generate less waste to pay lower waste-management fees.
He said such a system could encourage residents to reduce waste generation and improve recycling and recovery efforts.
Agency Pushes Circular Waste Economy
Beyond waste collection and evacuation, LAWMA is seeking to develop a circular waste economy by encouraging private-sector investment in the recovery and reuse of discarded materials.
Gbadegesin said non-recyclable combustible waste could be processed and used as fuel by cement manufacturers, while organic waste could be treated through biodigesters to generate energy.
He disclosed that recoverable materials at the Olusosun landfill are estimated to generate about ₦250 million in value every month, with thousands of people involved in recovering recyclable materials from the site.
The LAWMA chief called on investors and entrepreneurs operating in recycling, textile waste, plastics, organic waste and other areas of waste recovery to partner with the authority.
He said LAWMA was willing to provide investors with access to relevant data and waste streams to support the development of viable waste-to-value businesses.
New PSP Reforms Coming
Gbadegesin also disclosed that the authority was planning reforms to the Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste-collection system.
Among the proposed reforms is a system that would give households unique identification codes and enable residents to monitor the quality and regularity of their waste collection services.
He apologised to Lagos residents for the disruptions experienced in recent months, assuring them that the government was working to clear the immediate waste backlog while developing infrastructure for a more sustainable waste-management system.
Gbadegesin urged residents to support the transition by sorting waste at source, using authorised waste-collection services and partnering with LAWMA to explore innovative ways of converting waste into economic value.
The disclosure comes as LAWMA intensifies waste evacuation operations across Lagos. The authority recently reported evacuating more than 18,660 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste in one week, highlighting the scale of the waste-management challenge confronting the megacity.
Waste transportation costs Lagos ₦350,000 per truck trip — LAWMA
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has disclosed that transporting waste with a 10-tonne compactor truck costs about ₦350,000 per trip, as the state grapples with growing waste volumes and limited… pic.twitter.com/UkyM0tC6N1
— Iyalaya (@lollylarry1) September 6, 2026
