By: Tijani Salako.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has urged Lagosians to provide useful details that will help authorities track and sanction those responsible for illegal roadside dumping, saying social media posts alone are not enough to tackle the problem.

The agency also commended local governments across the state for strengthening waste policing and grassroots enforcement, encouraging councils yet to adopt the initiative to follow suit in promoting environmental compliance at the community level.

The Director of Public Affairs at LAWMA, Mukaila Sanusi, disclosed this in a press release issued to media outlets. According to the statement, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, made the remarks while addressing journalists.

Gbadegesin stressed that effective waste management requires strong collaboration among state agencies, local councils, and residents.

“Residents should move beyond sharing images of dirty locations on social media and instead provide actionable information that will help authorities identify and sanction offenders,” he said.

He added that timely reporting of illegal dumping supported where possible with photographs or videos would enable quicker intervention and greater accountability, noting that many waste management challenges stem from human behaviour.

Gbadegesin further stated that several local governments have taken proactive steps by establishing waste policing and monitoring structures within their jurisdictions to support LAWMA’s efforts to curb indiscriminate dumping and improve sanitation.

He emphasised that localised enforcement remains critical to sustaining cleanliness across communities. While progress has been recorded through enforcement actions, he noted that long-term success depends on active citizen participation in ensuring compliance and reporting environmental infractions.

The LAWMA boss also called on social media users and content creators to promote responsible civic engagement, stressing that community vigilance is essential to maintaining a clean and healthy environment.

Citing a recent incident at Ladipo Market, Gbadegesin said four individuals were apprehended for illegal waste dumping following sustained monitoring and the temporary closure of a section of the market over non-compliance with waste regulations. The suspects were subsequently handed over to LAWMA operatives for prosecution.

He described the incident as evidence that consistent enforcement backed by market leadership and community cooperation can significantly improve compliance and sanitation outcomes.