By ebosele@hotmail.com
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to acquire 3,000 compactor trucks over the next three years as part of a major initiative to strengthen waste collection and evacuation across the state.
Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed the plan during an inspection of the ongoing rehabilitation of Road E at the Olusosun Disposal Facility.
He said the procurement programme, which will include compactor trucks of different sizes and capacities, is aimed at improving waste collection, boosting the operations of Private Sector Participants (PSPs) and expanding service coverage across Lagos.
According to him, the first phase of the programme will see about 150 new compactors delivered before the end of the year. The fleet will include tricycle compactors designed to serve narrow streets and hard-to-reach communities.
Dr. Gbadegesin noted that Lagos requires no fewer than 2,000 operational compactor trucks to effectively manage the over 10,000 metric tonnes of municipal solid waste generated daily, stressing that the expanded fleet would significantly improve operational efficiency and service delivery.
He also revealed that the state was investing in modern waste management infrastructure to complement the new fleet.
As part of the transition strategy, Zoomlion Nigeria is constructing two modern Transfer Loading Stations (TLSs) at Olusosun and Solous III. Each facility, he said, will process 2,500 metric tonnes of waste daily—about 20 times the capacity of the existing Simpson Transfer Loading Station—thereby improving waste transportation across the state.
The LAWMA boss added that additional dumping platforms were being created within the Olusosun Disposal Facility to improve traffic flow, reduce waiting time for compactor trucks and enhance operational efficiency pending the completion of the new Transfer Loading Stations.
He further disclosed that the Transfer Loading Station model would be replicated across Lagos as part of the government’s long-term strategy to modernise waste management infrastructure, reduce haulage distances, lower transportation costs and support the gradual transition from landfill-dependent waste disposal to a more sustainable waste management system driven by resource recovery and the circular economy.
Dr. Gbadegesin explained that while the Lagos State Government remained committed to decommissioning the Olusosun Disposal Facility, the process would be carefully managed to ensure that adequate alternative infrastructure was in place before the landfill is phased out.
He also assured residents that the temporary delays in waste evacuation caused by recent heavy rainfall, which affected access to the Olusosun Disposal Facility, would soon ease as the ongoing rehabilitation of Road E progressed and additional operational facilities came on stream.
The LAWMA Managing Director reaffirmed the authority’s commitment to delivering efficient, reliable and sustainable waste management services and commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for his continued investment in modernising Lagos’ waste management system through strategic infrastructure development, fleet expansion and innovative partnerships.
