KEY POINTS
- Lagos dumpsite decommissioning plan targets an 18-month window.
- New landfills aim to cut pressure on aging sites.
- Officials say waste-to-resource projects will shape the transition.
The Lagos State government has set an 18-month deadline to begin shutting the Olusosun dumpsite and other long-used waste grounds. It supports a shift toward controlled landfill systems that reduce the amount of refuse reaching disposal points statewide. The plan forms part of a programme steering waste away from crowded sites and pushing Lagos toward a waste-to-resource approach.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab announced the details during an inspection tour of the major dumpsites.
Stakeholders joined the tour to discuss concerns raised earlier about site conditions and the transition now being prepared.
Lagos dumpsite decommissioning plan
According to the ministry, the 18-month window creates room to build the infrastructure required for a safe decommissioning phase. Agencies will use that period to design systems that support the closure of Olusosun and Solus 2 in stages. Alternative disposal routes in Ikorodu, Epe, and Badagry are expected to keep waste flows stable during the transition period.
The inspection began at the site allocated to Zoom Lion, the state partner for the waste-to-wealth initiative. Zoom Lion’s material recovery facility is expected to start operations before decommissioning begins at Olusosun. Activation of the facility will guide the capping of the old landfill, following internationally recognised environmental standards.
A comparable process is planned for Solus 2, supported by new disposal corridors rising in the three designated zones.These corridors are intended to absorb redirected waste and strengthen the state’s controlled landfill capacity. Officials say landfills cannot close without reliable alternatives that handle remaining waste after resource recovery treatment.
The developing facilities aim to manage residues left after treatment within the upcoming recovery systems. This strategy reflects Lagos State’s wider goal of reducing uncontrolled dumping across heavily stressed disposal grounds.Modernising waste handling forms a key element of the programme, with improved landfill and recovery capacity central to it.
Authorities believe ongoing inspections help track progress and refine adjustments as the transition continues. The government intends to maintain stable waste operations throughout the shift toward cleaner disposal practices. Environmental standards, according to planners, should rise steadily as the new systems come online across the state.
New landfills and Lagos dumpsite decommissioning
According to Punch, Wahab sought to calm fears that the upcoming landfills may slip into the same condition as the aging sites. He said the state is shifting from a linear waste system to a model that treats waste as a resource, which should reduce the quantity ending up at landfills. He added that government teams are working on alternative exit routes around Olusosun to prevent long queues of waste trucks and improve movement in and out of the area.
The state is also planning an audit of people operating around the dumpsites. Wahab said this will help strengthen security and track activities near the facilities. At the Igando dumpsite, a resident, Emeka Nweke, urged the state to address roadside parking by waste truck drivers, warning that the congestion leads to avoidable crashes. He also called for road reconstruction, saying the existing stretch deteriorates whenever drainage systems fail.
