Reported by: Puis Althea | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
A civil society organisation has raised a serious alarm over the failure of the Lagos Waste Management Authority and its Private Sector Participation operators to collect refuse from communities across the state, despite continuously billing residents for services not rendered. The Citizens Action Network, in a press statement issued on Saturday, July 25, 2026, accused LAWMA and its PSP operators of engaging in what it described as an "illegal, unethical" practice that amounts to extortion. The group warned that the mounting heaps of refuse in residential compounds pose a grave public health risk, increasing the likelihood of outbreaks of cholera, malaria and other diseases.
According to the group's National Public Relations Officer, Ade-Adewunmi Adeoye, many communities have not been serviced by refuse collection trucks for several months, yet residents continue to receive monthly waste disposal bills. The statement painted a grim picture of a state rapidly transforming into a dumping ground, where every house is surrounded by heaps of waste. "Today, refuse is everywhere in Lagos State. Every house has heaps of waste in its compound. Lagos is fast turning into a dumping ground, and if urgent action is not taken, we risk another outbreak of cholera and malaria in the state," the statement read. Public health experts have long warned that poor waste management exposes communities to diseases such as cholera, malaria and typhoid, with stagnant water and accumulated refuse providing breeding grounds for disease-carrying pests.
The Citizens Action Network also took issue with LAWMA's parking policy, alleging that the agency had abandoned the globally accepted "Park and Pay" model in favour of compulsory monthly parking tickets, forcing residents to pay for parking spaces they do not use. The group has called for the immediate adoption of a "No Service, No Pay" policy, insisting that residents should not be billed for any month in which refuse is not collected in their communities. It also demanded that LAWMA publish monthly service reports detailing how many times each area was serviced and the revenue collected. "We cannot continue to subsidize inefficiency and failure with our pockets. Lagos residents deserve dignity, cleanliness, and fairness," the statement added.
The allegations come amid growing complaints from residents across Lagos who have long decried the erratic collection of refuse despite regular payments. In previous reports, residents in communities such as Mushin, Igando, and Ikotun have accused LAWMA of failing to provide services, with some expressing fear that the situation could lead to an outbreak of communicable diseases. In June 2026, Lagos residents lamented a surging waste crisis, with many complaining of illegal waste disposal in unauthorised areas and the inefficiency of PSP operators. The Lagos State Government, through LAWMA, has previously attributed the challenges to population growth, illegal dumping, under-performing private operators, rising costs, scarce landfill capacity, poor roads, and delayed payments from the state. However, for residents who continue to pay their waste bills, these explanations offer little consolation.
The Citizens Action Network has given the Lagos State Government and the Ministry of Environment 30 days to address its demands, which include the restoration of a digital pay-per-hour or pay-per-day parking system and the discontinuation of compulsory monthly parking tickets. As the group warned, the consequences of inaction could be severe. With heaps of refuse accumulating across the state and the rainy season in full swing, the risk of waterborne diseases and vector-borne infections continues to rise. For millions of Lagosians, the question is no longer just about cleanliness but about survival.
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