LAWMA: Ajah-Lekki Waste Compliance Enforcement Seals 20+ Facilities

• The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has launched a compliance enforcement drive targeting numerous commercial and institutional facilities in Ajah-Lekki.
• This initiative addresses persistent violations of waste management requirements and environmental regulations, as confirmed by LAWMA officials.
• A recent enforcement exercise on August 25, 2026, led to the sealing of Issa Imamu Market and the dislodging of illegal structures at Eleganza.
• LAWMA's Managing Director, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, identified over 20 specific facilities for non-compliance.
• The authority emphasizes that businesses must meet their waste management obligations to prevent further enforcement actions and ensure a clean environment.

The authority has reiterated its commitment to sustained monitoring, enforcement, and stakeholder engagement to promote proper waste management and environmental compliance throughout Lagos State.

The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has initiated a comprehensive compliance enforcement drive targeting numerous markets, commercial establishments, and institutional facilities situated across the Ajah-Lekki axis. This significant action stems from persistent violations of established waste management requirements and broader environmental regulations within the area.

Among the facilities specifically identified for enforcement by Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, are Kodak Moment, Bayrock Lifestyle, Caelum Nigeria Ltd, Alpha Pharmacy, Amazon Farm, Ramayaa Mall, Simply Africa Place, Aries Safia, Wolly Mall, Delightful Toy Shop, and New Creation Church. The list further extends to include The Logic Church, Dow Eye Clinic, Time Oak Hotel, L OMP, Furniture House, Fashion Design Factory, De Phantom Hotel, Elizade Motors, Trinity, Living Faith Church, Premium Rentals, Christ Chapel Church, and QMB Mart. These entities have been flagged following direct observations of non-compliance with waste disposal standards.

This intensified focus on compliance follows a targeted monitoring and enforcement operation conducted on Tuesday, August 25, 2026. The LAWMA Project WISE team, working in conjunction with officials from Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), military personnel, and the Nigeria Police, carried out the exercise in the Eleganza and Issa Imamu Market areas of Ajah. During this operation, illegal structures erected by traders along road corridors and pedestrian walkways at Eleganza, which had impeded the movement of both motorists and pedestrians, were systematically dislodged. Concurrently, Issa Imamu Market was sealed due to its consistent and indiscriminate disposal of waste directly along the roadside.

Mukaila Sanusi, LAWMA's Director of Public Affairs, confirmed these developments in a recent statement. Dr. Gbadegesin underscored the authority's ongoing efforts to engage with and monitor facilities to secure adherence to environmental standards. He clarified that while opportunities for compliance are provided, LAWMA will not hesitate to implement necessary enforcement measures when establishments continue to default on their obligations.

LAWMA's core responsibility, as articulated by its leadership, is to ensure that commercial operations do not undermine proper waste management practices or infringe upon residents' fundamental right to a clean and orderly environment. The authority is committed to a multi-pronged strategy that combines proactive engagement and improved waste management services with robust compliance enforcement. Operators within the Ajah-Lekki corridor are specifically reminded of their duty to fulfill all waste management obligations.

The LAWMA boss urged all businesses, markets, institutions, and residents to strictly comply with approved waste management requirements and to cooperate fully with enforcement teams. He highlighted that sustained compliance is crucial for preventing indiscriminate dumping, safeguarding public spaces, and ultimately maintaining a cleaner environment for all.

Indiscriminate dumping and environmental degradation pose significant challenges to urban sustainability, making strict adherence to waste management protocols essential. The authority has reiterated its commitment to sustained monitoring, enforcement, and stakeholder engagement to promote proper waste management and environmental compliance throughout Lagos State. This proactive stance aims to foster a culture of responsibility and ensure that Nigeria's environmental laws are upheld across the commercial and residential sectors.

Businesses and compliance officers operating in the Ajah-Lekki axis of Lagos, particularly those in commercial or institutional facilities, must immediately review their waste management practices to ensure strict adherence to LAWMA regulations, as the authority is actively conducting enforcement actions that could lead to fines or facility sealing.

Source: Original reporting via The PUNCH