In a sweeping move to tighten Lagos’ waste management system, the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has terminated the contracts of 22 Private Sector Participation (PSP) operators for what it described as persistent failure to meet collection and disposal standards.

The underperforming contractors, responsible for handling waste in designated zones across the state, were dropped and immediately replaced with more efficient firms.

LAWMA’s Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, revealed the development during a media briefing on Wednesday, stressing that the agency would no longer tolerate operators who fall short of expectations.

“We axed about 22 PSP operators this year and replaced them due to failure in effective waste collection,” he said. “We have a strong monitoring framework, and our team reports daily on who is performing and who is not.”

Dr. Gbadegesin reaffirmed LAWMA’s commitment to keeping Lagos clean and warned residents against indiscriminate dumping of refuse in roads and drains, insisting that offenders would “face the full wrath of the law.”

Looking ahead, he announced major interventions to strengthen the state’s waste infrastructure. Top among them is the planned acquisition of 500 mobile tricycle compactors in 2026—small but powerful machines already piloted in areas like Ibeju-Lekki to reach communities inaccessible to traditional waste trucks.

“Lagos needs at least 2,000 tricycle compactors to keep up with the growing waste challenge,” he noted, citing rising population figures and infrastructure gaps.

With Lagos’ four million households generating between 13,000 and 15,000 tonnes of waste daily, the 450 PSP operators in the state currently manage only about 4,000 to 5,000 tonnes—far below the required capacity.

Gbadegesin identified weak infrastructure—including insufficient bins, trucks, and facilities—as the most critical obstacle.

“We’re rolling out 80,000 smart bins, but that’s still not enough for a city of four million households,” he said.

With the shake-up and upcoming investments, LAWMA says it is positioning Lagos for a new era of improved cleanliness, efficiency, and environmental responsibility.