Irregular PSP services trigger rising waste hazards across Lagos communities

Irregular PSP services trigger rising waste hazards across Lagos communities 

 

Residents across several Lagos communities have raised alarm over what they describe as increasingly irregular waste collection services by Private Sector Participant (PSP) operators, warning that indiscriminate dumping and burning of refuse is escalating environmental and public health risks.

In separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), residents lamented prolonged gaps in waste evacuation in areas such as Ikorodu, Ayobo, Alagbado, Shasha, Ikotun, Akesan, Mafoluku, Airport Road and LASU–Iba Road. A NAN correspondent observed heaps of uncollected waste across many of the affected neighbourhoods.

In Ikorodu, businesswoman Miss Adekoya Toyosi said PSP operators no longer maintain a predictable schedule.

“Collection dropped from about three times a month to once. If the waste becomes too much and the PSP doesn’t show up, people dump it in the gutter when it rains or burn it on sunny days,” she said, adding that residents pay between ₦500 and ₦700 monthly depending on waste volume.

Another resident, Mr Timilehin Ogunnariwo, said PSP trucks often arrive already filled up, leaving inner streets untouched.

“I keep three drums in my compound, but once they overflow, rats scatter the waste. Leakage from PSP trucks in the market has also become a recurring hazard,” he noted.

 

Fashion designer Mrs Ajibola Mafolayanmi said she burns her waste three to four times weekly due to erratic collection.

 

“There’s a field where we can dispose of waste, but it’s far. Burning gives us cough and catarrh, but we have no alternative,” she said.

 

Mrs Ogundinmu Mariam, who monitors market waste in Ikorodu, confirmed that council evacuation occurs only sporadically. “During the rainy season, everything becomes messy and smelly. Many residents now rely on informal waste haulers,” she added.

 

Others, like food vendor Mrs Oluranti Favour, said cart pushers have become their main option as PSP services “now come once in a while.” Another resident, Iya Gbogo, said she pays between ₦500 and ₦1,000 weekly for private disposal since she is not registered under the PSP scheme.

 

In Ayobo Extension, residents blamed service disruption on poor roads and prolonged rainfall. “The operators only resurfaced after a very long time,” Mrs Gloria Ogbu said.

 

At Shasha, Egbeda, a teacher, Mrs Stella Lawrence, alleged that PSP operators provide “selective services,” with nearby estates receiving regular collection while other streets are neglected. “Many people have returned to banned cart pushers,” she noted.

 

Along AIT Road, Alagbado, heaps of refuse were seen on the road median after weeks of non-collection.

 

In Ikotun, journalist Mr Ugochukwu Eze criticised the billing model of PSP operators. “Sometimes they don’t come for two weeks yet still issue full bills. It’s like the old NEPA—bill whether service is rendered or not,” he said, calling for a pay-as-you-go system.

 

For residents around the Akesan–Badore axis on the LASU–Isheri corridor, waste collection had not occurred for more than three weeks. Civil servant Mr Kunle Ayodele linked the disruption to the closure of the Igando dumpsite and the longer turnaround time at the Badagry dumpsite.

 

“The heaps pose serious health risks. PSP comes only twice a month now, so people are dumping waste on the expressway,” he said.

 

In Ajao Estate, civil servant Mr Ugochukwu Okoro said collection frequency has dropped despite consistent payments. “PSP used to come every Wednesday. Now they rarely show up. The estate is gradually losing its reputation for cleanliness,” he said.

 

In contrast, residents of Lekki Phase 1 reported uninterrupted PSP service. Civil servant Mrs Ese Afolabi praised the operators for evacuating waste consistently every Monday. “Their reliability keeps the estate clean,” she said.

 

The President of the Association of Scrap and Waste Pickers of Lagos, Mr Friday Oku, acknowledged residents’ concerns about scavengers scattering waste but said his association was working with government agencies to train waste pickers on proper handling and safety.

 

“Some scavengers operate outside our association and avoid training for fear of taxation,” he said, adding that more training programmes are planned for next