LAWMA records 76% increase in Olusosun waste disposal operations across Lagos state
LAGOS, Nigeria — The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) reported a significant increase in operations at the Olusosun Disposal Facility, with activity rising by more than 76% following the rehabilitation of its access road and the introduction of additional waste disposal platforms.
In a statement, the authority noted it evacuated over 18,660 metric tons of municipal solid waste from its facilities within a single week. Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, shared these developments during an operations review meeting at the authority’s headquarters in Ijora-Olopa on Wednesday.
Between July 28 and August 3, 2023, the agency recorded a total of 1,866 truck trips to its disposal facilities. Gbadegesin highlighted that Olusosun Facility alone registered 1,012 trips during this timeframe, a considerable rise from 574 truck trips the previous week.
The improvements stem from the enhanced access provided by the road rehabilitation and the new disposal platforms. Gbadegesin indicated these changes have led to reduced waiting times for trucks, improved turnaround, and more efficient waste evacuation across Lagos.
He attributed the authority’s performance to ongoing investments by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in essential waste management infrastructure. These moves, he noted, have alleviated operational challenges that previously impeded waste evacuation, particularly during the rainy season.
Notably, LAWMA achieved its highest daily output on August 1, processing 349 truck trips, which amounted to approximately 3,490 metric tons of waste across its disposal sites.
Additionally, the agency’s Ewu-Elepe, Badagry, and Oke-Osho facilities, alongside the Waste-to-Wealth Material Recovery Facility in Igando, contributed to the successful operations at Olusosun, facilitating efficient waste management throughout the state.
Gbadegesin emphasized the importance of investment in infrastructure, asserting that such efforts yield tangible improvements in operational efficiency and service delivery to Lagos residents.
Looking ahead, he mentioned LAWMA’s plans to continue this progress through ongoing construction of modern transfer loading stations, expansion of waste recovery systems, development of waste-to-energy initiatives, and the acquisition of additional compactor trucks to enhance waste collection and disposal logistics statewide.
He reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to advancing the Lagos State Government’s vision of transitioning from a landfill-dependent waste management approach to a more integrated and sustainable system focused on resource recovery, recycling, and modern waste processing technologies.
