The residents of Ago Palace Way in Okota, Lagos have expressed frustration over what they described as persistent irregular waste collection in the area, despite paying about N48,000 every two months for refuse evacuation under the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) system.
  
The residents said delayed waste evacuation by Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators has left parts of the community littered with overflowing refuse, exposing them to foul odours, disease risks and worsening environmental conditions.
  
A visit by The Guardian to Ago Roundabout, Avenue Junction and Funsho Kinoshi Street showed mounting refuse at designated collection points.
  
In several locations, waste had spilled beyond collection areas onto adjoining spaces, while the stench of decomposing refuse filled the air.     
  
Residents and motorists were forced to navigate around heaps of waste as they went about their daily activities.
  
According to residents, households diligently bag and store their refuse in waste bins outside their homes while awaiting collection. 
  
However, when PSP operators fail to keep to evacuation schedules, the bins become overloaded, forcing waste onto the streets.
  
They also admitted that the prolonged delays have encouraged indiscriminate dumping by some residents. 
  

Once household bins and designated collection points are overwhelmed, some people resort to dumping refuse at nearby road junctions under the cover of darkness, further worsening the sanitation crisis.
  
A resident of Funsho Kinoshi Street, Mrs Arike Johnson, said it was unfair that residents continued to pay for a service they were not receiving.
  
“We pay about N48,000 every two months, yet the refuse is not collected regularly. The waste bins outside our homes become full, overflow and eventually spill onto the streets because they are not emptied on time. We should not have to live like this after paying for the service,” she said.
  
Another resident, Miss Favour Ogunleye of Avenue Junction, warned that the waste problem could aggravate flooding, a recurring challenge in the area during heavy rains.
  
“Whenever it rains heavily, this area experiences flooding. If refuse is left to pile up around drainage channels or gets washed into them, it makes it harder for floodwater to flow freely. That is why regular waste collection is so important,” she said.
  
Beyond the unsightly heaps of refuse, residents said the delayed evacuation has attracted flies and other disease-carrying pests, produced offensive odours and diminished the quality of life for people living and doing business in the neighbourhood.
 
While acknowledging that flooding in Lagos has multiple causes, they stressed that prompt refuse evacuation remains critical to preventing blocked drains and reducing the impact of flooding in communities such as Ago Palace Way.
  
The residents insisted they had fulfilled their responsibilities by paying waste collection fees and properly storing their refuse, arguing that PSP operators must also meet their obligations by providing timely and reliable services.
  
They called on LAWMA to strengthen oversight of PSP operators, enforce approved collection schedules, respond promptly to complaints from affected communities and sanction operators that repeatedly fail to deliver efficient services.
  
Responding to the complaints, President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN), Mr Adesola Olugbenga, said the challenges facing waste evacuation in Lagos go beyond the performance of PSP operators.
  
According to him, poor access to disposal sites, deteriorating roads leading to landfill locations and the heavy rains experienced during the June and July wet season have significantly slowed waste evacuation across the state.
  
Olugbenga explained that although PSP operators collect refuse from households, trucks often spend several hours waiting to access landfill sites because of poor road conditions and limited disposal capacity.
  
“Even if we have 2,000 or 3,000 trucks, if they are unable to get somewhere to dump their waste, the refuse will remain stranded,” he said.
  
He noted that the recent commissioning of Road E at the Olusosun disposal facility has improved access for waste trucks and created additional dumping platforms for both PSP operators and LAWMA.
  
He expressed optimism that waste evacuation would improve as more disposal infrastructure becomes available.
  
Olugbenga also identified rising operational costs, particularly the sharp increase in diesel prices since the current waste collection tariff was introduced in 2022, as another major challenge affecting operators.
  
He appealed for improved access to disposal facilities, cost-reflective tariffs and stronger enforcement of payment compliance to ensure efficient and sustainable waste management across Lagos State.