Nigeria: Sanwo-Olu Declares 'Small State of Emergency' On Lagos Waste Crisis

What the report says

Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has described the city’s worsening waste situation as a “small state of emergency” and announced immediate steps to reduce pressure on the disposal system, according to Premium Times via AllAfrica. He made the remarks on Wednesday during an inspection of the Olusosun landfill in Lagos, where long delays for waste trucks have been disrupting collection across the state.

As reported, the government plans to add 160 new compactor trucks, reopen additional disposal sites and increase the number of daily tipping points at Olusosun so trucks can offload faster and return to residential collection routes sooner. Sanwo-Olu said the state currently processes about 250 to 350 trucks a day at the landfill and wants to raise that capacity to between 350 and 450.

The administration also intends to reactivate landfill sites in Solu 3 in Alimosho, Iwulepe in Ikorodu, Oke Osho in Epe and Erikitte in Badagry. The governor said work on access roads and site preparation should begin quickly, with several facilities expected to become active within about six weeks. He also said the state would review its private-sector waste collection system and assess which operators still have the equipment and financial strength to perform effectively.

The report places the response in the context of Lagos’s broader waste management challenges, including limited truck capacity, service-payment issues and infrastructure constraints. Beyond the immediate measures, the government is also pursuing longer-term facilities for transfer, sorting and recovery in partnership with Zoomlion, with projects expected to take shape over the coming year.