Stakeholders for Lagos waste management sector don call for one standalone Ministry of Waste Resources wey go get cabinet-level commissioner to coordinate policies, improve recycling and turn discarded materials into economic resources. Dem make di call at Lagos Waste Governance Reform meeting on Thursday, and summary of di proceedings and recommendations reach News Agency of Nigeria on Friday through Philips Obuesi, President and Chief Executive Officer of SWEEP Foundation NG and convener of Lagos Waste Forum.
According to di summary, di stakeholders propose di ministry as part of policy recommendations for di incoming state administration in 2027. Dem also want experienced waste management professionals to lead Lagos State Waste Management Authority, with technical competence guiding appointments. Di group call for separation of LAWMA regulatory work from waste collection operations to strengthen oversight and service delivery. Di summary talk say dem task Lagos Waste Forum to gather recommendations from residents and industry stakeholders into policy brief for di incoming governor.
Philips Obuesi talk say waste management deserve more attention from government. E propose standalone ministry with cabinet-level authority to coordinate policies, improve recycling and promote recovery of useful materials from waste. E argue say waste management na engineering work, no be patronage, and di sector need technical expertise, effective leadership and proper planning. E also call for dedicated Green Bank to give loans at single-digit interest rates to businesses doing recycling and waste-to-wealth projects. E describe dumpsites as emerging waste mines wey fit supply raw materials to industries, create jobs and support economic growth if dem manage them well.
Di recommendations also touch household waste separation, integration of informal waste workers and better accountability across Lagos waste system. Stakeholders identify collection-and-dumping approach as inadequate, and dem want shift to source separation, recycling, processing and local resource recovery. Dem propose incentives for households wey separate waste and modular processing plants across local governments to encourage local value addition. Dem also call for stronger partnership between private sector participation operators and informal collectors, plus better occupational protection and community-based waste education.
Di summary identify outdated waste collection data as major obstacle to planning, monitoring and enforcement. To fix am, stakeholders recommend street-level data collection, comparison of local government performance and stronger accountability in public spending across waste value chain. Dem also point to registration and evacuation-access challenges as infrastructure gaps wey need attention.
Di proposal come as concern dey grow over volume of refuse for Lagos, wey be Nigeria commercial centre. Lagos Waste Management Authority don estimate say di state dey generate about 5.46 million tonnes of waste every year, while its 23 million residents continue to put pressure on existing disposal facilities. For di 6th Lagos Waste Forum, stakeholders also highlight Nigeria estimated $250 billion green economy potential, with Lagos generating about ₦18 billion in recycling value in 2021.
Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya, talk say environmental challenges need research-based solutions and technically skilled workforce. E yan say solutions must dey guided by research, innovation and evidence-based interventions wey fit Nigeria local contexts. Stakeholders urge stronger collaboration between government, private sector and communities to expand recycling, improve waste collection and build sustainable circular economy.
