Lagos: Drowning In Garbage -By Akin Akinola

I unsuccessfully tried to follow the story of the young lady who came under heavy criticism for saying on social media what many of us already knew: “Lagos is smelling.”

Perhaps it was her manner of presentation that offended people. But the truth is that the issue she raised is difficult to dismiss. In fact, the period when she made that post was arguably better than it is today, and certainly better than when I made a similar observation about 8years ago.  I had also written about this 12yrs ago too.

It increasingly feels as though Lagos is drifting back towards the “pre-Fashola” era.

The decline, in my opinion, began when Governor Ambode dismantled a waste management system that, while imperfect, was working. To his credit, he attempted to introduce what was reputed to be one of the world’s leading waste management company. Unfortunately, that model struggled to adapt to the realities of Lagos and was brought in to replace the PSP operators—a locally developed solution that had evolved around our peculiar environmental and logistical challenges.

The outcome was disastrous.

The stench that once seemed confined to the Olusosun dumpsite gradually spread into different parts of the city. Thankfully, Governor Ambode eventually reversed course and reinstated the PSP operators after it became obvious that the new arrangement was not delivering. By then, however, significant damage had already been done. It became a struggle to return to normalcy, and what was once regarded as one of the most effective waste management systems in Nigeria never quite regained its former efficiency. I cannot say with certainty why, but there appears to have been a political dimension to the entire episode.

Today, Lagos and its residents are confronted with an undeniable and increasingly unbearable stench. Heaps of refuse line major roads, markets, and even residential areas. It is almost as though Olusosun has given birth to smaller dumpsites across the city.

What is particularly worrying is that no area appears to be exempt—not even the so-called highbrow neighbourhoods.

Some commentators have linked the recent flooding in Lagos to waste blocking drainage channels. While I do not believe that refuse alone explains the flooding, it would be difficult to argue that blocked drains are not at least a contributing factor.

What disappoints me even more is the growing tendency by some commentators, even a few government officials to blame residents for the situation.

In a city of well over 20 million people, blaming citizens for generating waste is like blaming humanity for having children. People will always generate waste. That is an unavoidable consequence of urban living. The real conversation should be about investment in waste management infrastructure, collection systems, recycling, enforcement, and long-term sustainability.

It is fashionable to describe Nigerians as dirty or undisciplined, but that oversimplifies the problem. Human behaviour is remarkably similar across the world. What often makes the difference is the existence of efficient systems and consistent enforcement. The same Nigerian who obeys environmental regulations abroad is not genetically different from the one living in Lagos. Where waste is collected promptly, disposal points are accessible, and regulations are fairly enforced, compliance naturally improves.

Effective systems encourage responsible behaviour.

This is why Lagos needs to fundamentally rethink its waste collection and management strategy. Lagos has distinguished itself as the Nigerian state where government institutions often worked better than elsewhere. That is precisely why the current state of affairs is so disappointing.

It is becoming increasingly clear that the present approach is not delivering the desired results. Rather than defending a failing system, government should honestly assess what is working, what is not, and assemble the right people with the right ideas to restore Lagos to the standard it once aspired to.

Lagos and her residents deserves better.