Residents of Lagos State have decried increasingly irregular services by Private Sector Participant (PSP) waste operators, a development that has led to widespread indiscriminate disposal of refuse and heightened environmental and public health risks.
The residents stated this in separate interviews with reporters on Sunday in Lagos.
Reports from parts of Ikorodu, Ayobo, Alagbado, Shasha, Ikotun, Akesan, Afariogun Street, Mafoluku, Airport Road and LASU–Iba Road, among others, showed that long gaps in waste evacuation have pushed many households to burn refuse or dump it in gutters, especially when it rains.
In Ikorodu, Miss Adekoya Toyosi, a businesswoman, said PSP operators no longer maintain predictable schedules, noting that collections had dropped from three times a month to once a month.
“If the waste is much and the PSP doesn’t come around, we make use of the gutter when it’s raining, and sometimes we burn it when it’s sunny,” she said.
She added that residents pay between ₦500 and ₦700 depending on the volume of waste.
Mr Timilehin Ogunnariwo, also an Ikorodu resident, said PSP trucks often arrive already filled, leaving inner streets unattended.
“I use three drums in my compound, but when waste accumulates, big rats scatter it everywhere,” he said, adding that leakage from an overflowing PSP truck in the local market had become a recurring environmental hazard.
Similarly, Mrs Ajibola Mafolayanmi, a fashion designer, said she burns her waste three to four times a week.
“There is a field where people dispose their waste, but it’s far. Burning gives us catarrh and cough, but we have no choice since the PSP does not come to our area,” she said.
Mrs Ogundinmu Mariam, who oversees market waste in Ikorodu, noted that refuse is evacuated weekly by the local council but not consistently.
“During the rainy season, the whole place becomes messy and smells. Some residents have turned to informal haulers,” she said.
Mrs Oluranti Favour, a food vendor, said cart pushers have become her main option because PSP operators “come once in a while.”
Another resident, Iya Gbogo, said she pays between ₦500 and ₦1,000 weekly for private disposal because she is not registered under the PSP scheme.
In the Ayobo Extension, residents attributed inconsistent service to bad roads and persistent rainfall. Mrs Gloria Ogbu said operators resurfaced “only after a very long while.”
In Shasha, Egbeda, a teacher, Mrs Stella Lawrence, said PSP operators render “selective services,” noting that nearby estates enjoy regular pickups while other streets are neglected.
“They should make waste evacuation regular and affordable. Many people now rely on the banned cart pushers,” she said.
Along the AIT Road in Alagbado, reporters observed heaps of refuse on the road median, attributed to weeks of non-collection.
In Ikotun, Mr Ugochukwu Eze, a journalist, criticised the billing system of PSP operators.
“Sometimes, they don’t come for two weeks, yet they bill you as if they came. They behave like the former NEPA that bills you whether service is rendered or not,” he said, calling for a pay-as-you-go model to prevent exploitation.
In the Akesan–Badore axis along the LASU–Isheri Road, Mr Kunle Ayodele, a civil servant, said PSP operators had not visited in more than three weeks.
“The heaps of dirt pose the risk of a disease outbreak. PSP comes only twice a month, so people now dump refuse on the expressway,” he said.
He noted that the closure of the Igando dumpsite and relocation to Badagry had increased turnaround time and diesel costs for operators, affecting the frequency of evacuation.
Mr Ugochukwu Okoro, a resident of Ajao Estate, said waste collection in the estate had reduced despite regular payments.
“I don’t understand what is happening. PSP operators that used to come every Wednesday are no longer coming. Ajao Estate, known for its cleanliness, is gradually being littered with waste,” he said.
However, residents of Lekki Phase 1 reported consistent service.
Mrs Ese Afolabi, a civil servant, commended the operators, noting that waste is evacuated every Monday or the next day if there is a delay.
“As long as we pay, they come. They have been consistent, and it keeps the environment clean and healthy,” she said.
The President of the Association of Scrap and Waste Pickers of Lagos, Mr Friday Oku, acknowledged concerns about scavengers scattering waste at collection points. He said the association was working with government agencies to train waste pickers on proper handling and occupational safety.
“Some of them are not under our association and avoid training because they fear taxation. We are planning more community awareness and training next year,” Oku said.
Commenting on broader challenges, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, said PSP operators remain committed to effective service delivery but face structural constraints.
“The PSP operators are committed to efficient service delivery. However, as some respondents noted, there are challenges at the disposal sites which we, together with the government, are discussing at the highest level.
“We recently met with the governor, and discussions were productive. Short-, medium- and long-term solutions are being worked on to address the disposal problems,” he said.
Residents across affected communities urged the Lagos State Government and the Lagos Waste Management Authority to ensure more frequent and predictable PSP services to curb indiscriminate dumping, burning and related health hazards.
