The resurgence of cholera cases in Lagos, Africa’s most populous city, has raised urgent public health concerns, with illegal waste sites identified as major contributors to the outbreak. Nurses and residents have warned that the state’s waste management crisis is creating conditions ripe for cholera to thrive, urging the Lagos State Government (LASG) to act swiftly.

No fewer than 37 deaths were recorded in the last cholera outbreak, which hit 30 states, including Lagos. These were the cases reported; many are underreported, and many of these cholera crises are left without coverage.

Recently, the Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Health, Dr. Kemi Ogunyemi, in a statement during the ravaging period of the cholera crisis, said the state recorded an additional six cholera deaths, bringing the total to 15, with the cholera cases rising to 401 in the state.

The noise has died down, but cholera is still very much alive. The known causes of these diseases are a dirty and unkempt environment, which also relates to illegal waste sites, poor drainage systems, and even unregulated local food vendors.

Cholera is an acute diarrheal illness caused by the ingestion of food or water contaminated with Vibrio cholerae and is known to spread quickly in unsanitary conditions. In densely populated urban centers like Lagos, where informal settlements often rely on contaminated sources for drinking water, the presence of illegal dumpsites has only intensified the threat.

Illegal Dumpsites, and Why Lagosians Prefer Them

Lagos State government has created various initiatives to keep Lagos State clean, from LAWMA to a cleaner Lagos initiative by the former governor, Ambode, to PSP, all aimed at making the state clean. But is Lagos clean and free from illegal dumpsites?

In Ijeshatedo, for example, the Guardian observed and spoke to residents who dump their waste by roadsides, believing that LAWMA officials would pick them up. This has been the practice in recent times.

“LAWMA people don’t come into our streets here at Association Avenue; they only pass through the express road, and since our street is close, we dump it there for them to carry; it is better that way,” said Mr. Frederick, who spoke to the Guardian.

Meanwhile, another person believes that the excess payment by the LAWMA officials has made them revert to dropping their waste in nylon bags and leaving it at night for pickup. This is all tied to economic hardship.

Fatimah, who stays at Irepodin, told the Guardian, “They come once in a month or so, and most times our compounds are already littered with dirt. We have children here, we don’t have clean water; come and see for yourself, it is colored. We are still battling that—how then do we keep dirt at home again?”

With less than half of three million households without waste bins in Lagos, there is no denying that the cholera crisis is underreported in Lagos and many states across the country.

Deadly link between illegal dumpsites, cholera

Illegal dumpsites contribute immensely to the spread of cholera. These dumpsites are sometimes found beside local food vendors, on roadsides, and in residential areas.

The rain is still on, and as rainfall becomes more frequent, these contaminants wash into open drains and waterways, spreading bacteria that cause cholera and other waterborne diseases. The end is not close.

“Most communities in Nigeria do not have a public potable water supply. This pushes people to create their own water sources, like borehole wells, which can be contaminated if constructed near a septic tank, canal, or refuse dump,” said Japhet Olugbogi, an epidemiologist.

The contamination of water supplies through leachate, the liquid that drains or ‘leaches’ from waste, is a critical problem. Leachate is known to carry a variety of pathogens, including Vibrio cholerae. It spreads from dumpsites into rivers and other water sources, impacting entire communities downstream

LAWMA

Lagos has long struggled with waste management. Despite initiatives by LASG to tackle illegal waste dumping, enforcement has proven challenging. The population, which exceeds 20 million, generates thousands of tonnes of waste daily, a significant proportion of which ends up in illegal sites due to inadequate disposal infrastructure.

“People are driven to illegal waste disposal out of necessity. The collection services in many areas are inadequate or too costly for low-income residents, who end up turning to unregulated dumpsites,” noted Mrs. Yahya Rafiat Funmilola, a community health extension worker, who spoke to the Guardian.

The lack of a robust waste collection system is further compounded by an insufficient number of designated dumpsites and limited waste treatment facilities. Consequently, illegal waste disposal methods have become necessary, putting millions of residents at risk.

A medical expert at the Lagos State General Hospital, Dr. Abbey, emphasized that the government is doing its best. However, citizens should be willing to learn that it takes collaborative efforts to build a cholera-free society.

The Public Relations Officer of LAWMA, Mrs. Folashade Kadiri, told the Guardian, while commenting on the issue, that “Waste management is indeed a shared responsibility, and improper disposal of waste at road medians, junctions, and roadblocks are not only illegal but also pose dangerous health risks. LAWMA’s goal is to promote a clean and healthy environment for all residents,” she said.

Mrs. Folashade also emphasised residents’ education about cholera and that they should know the Lagos State government cannot do it alone. “Government cannot do it alone; we need your support, please,” she said.

What LASG Must Do

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, recently said that it intends to acquire more than 100 trucks to increase the number of existing trucks, made up of 120 for LAWMA and 800 trucks for PSP operators across Lagos State.

This suggests a lack of enough resources to battle waste control and the indiscriminate dumping of refuse. But more importantly, laws governing indiscriminate waste dumping are ineffective.

The justification of dumping waste anywhere and anytime because LAWMA personnel are not enough is not entirely okay, as two inadequacies do not create an answer. Therefore, people caught in such despicable acts should be arrested.

The Lagos State government must implement laws that prohibit indiscriminate waste dumping; punishment must be meted out to residents who fail to comply.

The PRO of LAWMA told the Guardian that, “Under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, Section 82(1), dumping waste at road medians or any unauthorized location is strictly prohibited. This section clearly states, ‘A person shall not dispose of waste in such a manner that it becomes litter or is likely to become litter.’”

Anyone found doing so is committing an offense and, on conviction, is liable to a fine not less than Twenty-Five Thousand Naira (N25,000), as well as potential jail time under Section 109. Placing waste in public spaces is not only unsanitary but also poses risks, especially during the rainy season, as littered waste can clog drainage systems, leading to floods and the spread of waterborne diseases such as cholera.

Public health experts suggest that a combination of stricter regulations, better enforcement, and public education on waste disposal could help curb the cholera outbreak. Lagos State officials have indicated an awareness of the risk posed by illegal dumpsites, but the scale of the challenge requires a larger, more comprehensive response.

By creating incentives for responsible waste disposal, LASG can reduce reliance on illegal dumpsites. Furthermore, improved water infrastructure in vulnerable communities would reduce dependency on unsafe water sources, helping to break the cycle of contamination.

Many streets now depend on “Meruwa” to buy water, irrespective of where this water is brought from. Most residents use this water to cook, drink, and carry out their basic needs, and this happens due to the lack of proper drinking water systems despite allocations for them.

Additionally, Lagos State health officials are being urged to establish regular water testing in high-risk areas. This proactive approach could enable early detection of contamination before outbreaks occur.

For now, the focus is on containing the outbreak, but experts warn that long-term solutions must address the underlying issues in waste management that have put Lagos residents at risk.