Key points

• An anonymous insider says Sanwo-Olu asked LAWMA’s MD to resign over the weekend.
• The governor reportedly saw no improvement a month after his Olusosun dumpsite visit.
• The government has not confirmed the report.

Lagos State Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has ordered Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, managing director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, to resign over heaps of refuse across the state, according to an insider at the agency.

The source, who spoke anonymously on Monday, said the governor grew increasingly dissatisfied with the slow pace of waste evacuation and Gbadegesin’s alleged failure to act promptly on directives.

“The governor was upset when he observed that the situation had not improved despite his clear directive,” the source said. Gbadegesin is reportedly pleading and has asked prominent Lagosians to intercede.

A month of emergency measures

Sanwo-Olu visited the Olusosun dumpsite in Ojota about a month ago and declared a state of emergency on waste collection.

He blamed the slow pace partly on private sector participation operators failing to meet their obligations.

He said compaction work at Olusosun and Solous 3 would let each site receive about 450 trucks daily, doubling operator capacity, though fires had slowed progress.

Residents have complained since August 2025 of refuse along streets, medians and drainage channels in areas including Mushin, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Apapa and Mile 2.

The agency’s update

On Saturday, Gbadegesin said on X that 11 of 15 routes in the week’s programme had field updates.

He cited Mile 2 cleared, three extra trucks on Doyin-Orile and LAWMA interim service in Okeira and Oluodo after PSP termination. Four routes, including Apapa and Isheri-Igando, awaited updates.

Meanwhile, Information Commissioner Gbenga Omotosho was in a meeting when contacted and had not responded. Gbadegesin was reappointed after the governor’s re-election.