The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has reported 1,023 illegal dumping and waste management non-compliance incidents across the state in 2025, with 447 cases referred for legal action.

This is contained in LAWMA 2025 Waste Surveillance Statistics obtained exclusively in Lagos.

A breakdown of the statistics during the review period shows that 230 males and 217 females were referred for prosecution, representing 51 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively.

The surveillance operations also identified 431 scavengers and reconciled 145 properties with their assigned Private Sector Participation waste operators.

The authority disclosed that peak dumping periods occurred between midnight and early morning, with residential refuse, construction debris and hazardous waste prominent among offences.

LAWMA said the 2025 figures built on an intensified enforcement strategy that was carried into 2026, with officers stepping up surveillance and enforcement activities across the state.

It said that in recent weeks, enforcement teams deployed by the agency’s Waste Surveillance, Investigation and Enforcement unit arrested multiple offenders for indiscriminate waste disposal at hot spots across Lagos.

Earlier in 2026, LAWMA officials also intercepted and seized waste carts used by unregulated collectors on the Lagos Island.

Officials arrested an individual seen dumping waste near Tinubu Square in the early hours of the morning as part of efforts to prevent the re-emergence of illegal dumpsites.

Also, LAWMA’s Waste Investigation, Surveillance and Enforcement Team uncovered an unauthorised dumpsite along the Lagos–Badagry Expressway, resulting in the arrest of several cart pushers allegedly involved in illegal waste disposal.

Speaking on the development, the managing director of LAWMA, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the agency would continue to sustain enforcement activities to protect cleared sites from abuse.

“These sustained enforcement activities strengthen deterrence and protect cleared sites from renewed abuse.

“We are strategically deploying enforcement operatives across the state to eradicate persistent black spots and ensure compliance with environmental sanitation laws,” Gbadegesin said.

Mr Gbadegesin, however, reiterated LAWMA’s commitment to public education, enforcement and prosecution as integral components of its mandate to achieve a cleaner and healthier Lagos.

He urged residents to dispose of waste through authorised channels, patronise registered PSP operators and report illegal dumping through official LAWMA platforms.

LAWMA is a statutory agency of the Lagos State government responsible for managing solid waste and sanitation across the state.

It was established to address the growing challenge of waste generation resulting from rapid urbanisation, population growth, and economic activity in Lagos.

(NAN)