The Lagos State Government has officially banned the use of cart pushers for waste collection across the state, describing the move as part of its plan to create a cleaner, more sustainable environment.
Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, made this known during an interview on Arise News on Sunday.
He said Lagos has now introduced an organised waste management system to replace the informal and often unhygienic methods used by cart pushers.
“Lagos has banned those cart pushers. We had banned them in Lagos,” Wahab confirmed. “And to say you banned them is not enough. You must let people see the timetable of what is in place that will replace them.”
According to him, the ban is part of a broader waste management reform designed to promote structured waste collection, reduce illegal dumping, and protect the environment.
In a major step towards sustainable waste management, Wahab revealed that the state has signed an agreement with a company to convert 4,000 tons of daily waste into compost fertiliser, a project expected to create jobs and promote recycling.
“If you notice, Lagos had signed an agreement, even a consensual agreement, with a company called Zoom Lion,” he said.
“That is to convert 4,000 tons of our daily waste into compost fertilisers, which will be 55% of it.
Then the remainder will be recyclable. Then what will end up in our landfills will be less than 5%.”
He explained that the initiative forms part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s long-term plan to turn Lagos waste into wealth while minimising the environmental impact of urban waste.
Furthermore, Wahab disclosed that the state is set to decommission several notorious landfill sites that have become unsafe and environmentally damaging.
“That’s why we’re saying we are decommissioning some landfills that have become notorious,” he said.
He added that Lagos is now taking a forward-thinking approach to waste management, focusing on innovation, recycling, and sustainability.
“These are long-term plans. Globally, there are challenges around waste management. But the truth is, you have to be forward-thinking to understand that a linear waste management system is not sustainable,” the commissioner explained.
“It’s not environmentally friendly. Hence, you must see waste beyond that waste. You must be able to see waste as a resource. And that resource is inexhaustible,” he noted.
In addition, the commissioner reaffirmed that the Lagos State Government remains committed to transforming Lagos into a cleaner and more eco-friendly city through policies that make waste management both efficient and profitable.
“The government has always been committed to transforming Lagos into a cleaner, more environmentally responsible state through policies and programmes that make waste management both efficient and sustainable,” Wahab added.
