Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has reportedly requested the resignation of Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), following a prolonged period of refuse accumulation across the state. The demand, which was made over the weekend, stems from the governor's frustration with the lack of improvement despite clear directives issued after a personal inspection of a major dumpsite.
Governor's Frustration Over Unheeded Directives
According to a source within the agency who spoke on condition of anonymity, Sanwo-Olu's frustration had been building since he visited the Olusosun Dumpsite in Ojota about a month ago. During the visit, the governor personally assessed the conditions and gave explicit orders for immediate action. The source confirmed the development on Monday, October 19, 2026, as reported by The Punch.
"The governor was upset when he observed that the situation had not improved despite his clear directive. So, over the weekend, he asked him to resign, although he is begging and has reached out to some prominent Lagosians to beg on his behalf," the source said.
Six-Month Waste Crisis Across Lagos
Refuse has been piling up along road medians, streets, drainage channels, and major highways across Lagos since August 2025. Affected areas include Mushin, Egbeda, Surulere, Ajegunle, Ikorodu, Ojo, Obalende, Apapa, and Mile 2, where decomposing waste has raised concerns about public health, environmental sanitation, and the state's image.
In September 2025, Sanwo-Olu declared a state of emergency on waste collection after his Olusosun inspection. Accompanied by his deputy, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, the governor met with stakeholders at the dumpsite to identify challenges and map out short-, medium-, and long-term solutions. He blamed part of the problem on Private Sector Participation operators who had failed to meet their obligations, and noted that fire incidents at both the Olusosun and Solous 3 dumpsites had slowed operations. He said completing ongoing compaction work would allow each dumpsite to receive about 450 trucks of municipal waste daily, doubling existing capacity.
LAWMA Chief's Weekly Update Despite Resignation Demand
Despite the resignation demand, Gbadegesin posted a weekly update on his X handle @Mutiwag on Saturday, October 17, 2026, reporting progress on waste clearance across several routes. He wrote that 11 of 15 routes in the current programme had field updates, with Mile 2 cleared and routine collection maintained, three additional trucks sent to Doyin-Orile and surrounding areas, and Obalende cleared and placed under surveillance.
"The objective is to progress from clearance to sustained collection and prevention of recurrence, not simply remove visible waste," he wrote. Four routes, covering Apapa, Abesan Estate, Idimu-Ejigbo Road, and the Isheri-Igando corridor, were still awaiting field updates at the time of the post. Gbadegesin was originally appointed LAWMA chief and was reappointed to the role after Sanwo-Olu won re-election.
An attempt to reach the state Commissioner for Information, Gbenga Omotosho, for a response was unsuccessful on Monday. His aide said the commissioner was in a meeting and asked that he be contacted again later.
Government Acknowledges Waste Evacuation Challenges
Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that the Lagos state government acknowledges waste evacuation issues and apologises to residents for recent sanitation challenges. Commissioner Wahab emphasises a shift from a linear to a circular waste economy to address sustainability. Investments in waste-to-energy projects aim to transform organic waste into valuable resources and enhance sanitation.
