The stretch from Ayobo through Moshalasi to Ikotun Road is once again highlighting the persistent waste-management challenge confronting Lagos, with heaps of refuse accumulating on parts of road medians and adjoining spaces.
Plastic bags, bottles, food waste and other discarded materials have occupied sections of the median, while some refuse has spilled onto areas used by motorists and pedestrians.
The problem extends beyond Ikotun, with waste accumulation reported across several parts of the metropolis, including Igando, Idimu, Ejigbo, Egbeda, Iyana-Ipaja, Oshodi, Isolo, Mushin, Agege, Abule-Egba, Ajao Estate, Okota and parts of Lagos Island.
Although the affected locations differ, residents and commuters say a recurring pattern has emerged: refuse is evacuated from some locations only for fresh heaps to appear shortly afterwards.
Along the Ikotun-Ejigbo corridor, the problem has remained particularly persistent, with parts of Ikotun Market and Igando recording waste around public spaces and road medians.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has responded with enforcement operations targeting businesses, traders and other operators accused of indiscriminate dumping.
However, enforcement has not completely stopped the practice.
On Idimu-Ejigbo Road, for instance, a substantial refuse heap around the Dorcas and Silva Estate axis has become a prominent environmental concern, extending along a considerable portion of the median.
A similar cycle has been observed on Egbeda-Ikotun Road, where sections previously cleared of waste have subsequently recorded fresh dumping.
The situation is also evident around Iyana-Ipaja and Egbeda, while the densely populated Alimosho axis continues to face pressure from the volume of waste generated by households, markets and commercial activities.
In Oshodi and Isolo, refuse has been observed around roads and bus stops, including the Iyana Isolo Under Bridge and sections of the Apapa-Oshodi and Oshodi-Apapa corridors.
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Mushin, Agege, Abule-Egba and Ajao Estate have also recorded waste accumulation around some roads and commercial areas. On Lagos Island, locations including Tinubu, Apongbon and Oke-Arin have similarly faced sanitation challenges.
At some bus stops, discarded plastic bottles, nylon, food waste and other materials have accumulated around passenger shelters, road shoulders and drainage channels.
Pressure on waste-management system
The latest development comes amid sustained pressure on Lagos’ waste-management infrastructure.
The state generates thousands of tonnes of waste daily, putting pressure on collection trucks, transfer stations and disposal facilities.
Waste-management operators have identified disposal challenges as part of the problem. When trucks spend extended periods waiting to discharge collected waste, they are unable to return quickly to communities where fresh refuse is already accumulating.
The resulting delays can create a chain reaction: household waste remains uncollected for longer periods, commercial refuse piles up, and some residents and businesses resort to dumping waste on roadsides, medians and other unauthorised locations.
The Lagos State Government has responded with additional evacuation operations and enforcement.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu recently described the situation as a “small state of emergency” and directed measures aimed at accelerating waste evacuation, including the deployment of additional trucks and efforts to ease pressure on disposal facilities.
The government has also announced plans to strengthen waste-management infrastructure and improve the movement of waste from collection points to disposal and treatment facilities.
Meanwhile, LAWMA has intensified enforcement across the state, sealing some markets, shops, hotels, warehouses and other commercial premises over sanitation violations.
In the Ikotun-Igando axis, enforcement teams have targeted premises accused of dumping refuse on road medians despite warnings, while arrests have also been made in other parts of the state over unauthorised waste disposal.
Beyond evacuation
Environmental concerns, however, go beyond the visual impact of refuse.
Waste dumped in drainage channels can obstruct storm-water flow, while plastic materials can be washed into waterways during rainfall. Decomposing organic waste can attract flies and rodents, while stagnant water around blocked drains may create conditions conducive to mosquito breeding.
The challenge is therefore particularly significant during the rainy season, when blocked drainage channels can compound flooding risks.
Residents, traders and roadside businesses also contribute to the problem where refuse is deposited on medians, drains and vacant plots, even in areas where collection services are available.
The recurring return of waste after evacuation suggests that clearing existing heaps alone may not provide a lasting solution.
For Lagos to break the cycle, waste must be properly stored at source, collected consistently, transported efficiently and delivered to accessible facilities for safe treatment or disposal.
Until those stages operate consistently, the return of refuse to major roads, medians, markets and drainage channels is likely to remain a recurring feature of Lagos’ environmental landscape