By Johnson Matthew
Stretching from Mile 12 to Oshodi and spanning numerous districts, Lagos is grappling with a severe sanitation crisis that has residents and traders deeply distressed. The city, Nigeria’s bustling commercial nerve center, is overwhelmed by the pervasive smell of decay, blocked drainage systems, and mounting piles of decomposing waste. This environmental degradation is suffocating the metropolis, leaving its millions of inhabitants to endure toxic air and a deteriorating urban landscape.
On a recent visit, it was evident that in many parts of Lagos, open drains serve as makeshift toilets, with human waste directly discharged into them. These drains often remain clogged and stagnant for extended periods. When heavy rains come, the overflowing sewage mixes with floodwaters, spreading filth across streets. Pedestrians frequently wade through this contaminated water, unknowingly exposing themselves to serious health hazards and potential outbreaks of disease.
This alarming situation was highlighted in Festac Town, within the Amuwo Odofin Local Government Area, where the civic organization Bring Back Festac organized a demonstration to protest the community’s rapid decline into squalor.
In areas such as Ajeromi Ifelodun, Oshodi, Mile 12, and Iyana Ipaja, the foul smell is often the first indication of the crisis before the eyes can fully grasp the extent of the filth. Garbage heaps accumulate at street corners, plastic waste clogs drainage channels, and floodwaters carry the stench of rot through neighborhoods. For many residents, the offensive odor has shifted from a mere inconvenience to a relentless daily ordeal.
Garbage Overwhelms Streets
At Akpiri Street in Olodi Apapa, locals have resorted to filling potholes with trash in a desperate attempt to repair the roads. However, the rains transform these makeshift fixes into rivers of garbage, worsening the situation.
Doris, a resident, lamented, “The smell is unbearable,” as she covered her nose with a cloth.
At Oshodi Terminal 1, cleaner Mrs. Boluwatife Iye pointed out that the problem extends beyond just waste accumulation. “People relieve themselves anywhere-on pedestrian bridges and along roadsides-even though public toilets are available inside the terminal. Every day, nylon bags clog the drainage, which is why Oshodi always reeks,” she explained.
A wheelbarrow operator, known locally as ‘alabaru,’ blamed homeless individuals sleeping under bridges for contributing to the stench. “Many of us who push carts and live under the bridges bathe, urinate, and defecate there because we have nowhere else to go,” he admitted.
At Mile 12, the overpowering smell of rotting fruits and vegetables has become a defining feature. “Before you even reach the market, the foul odor hits you,” said Miss Odebumi, a local resident. In Ikeja, a shopkeeper named Kelvin summarized the city’s plight: “Blocked drains, littered streets, and ineffective waste management are the root causes. The bad smell is just a symptom of the city’s decay.”
Lack of Adequate Sanitation Facilities
The scarcity of public toilets in many Lagos markets has intensified the sanitation challenges. With no proper facilities, traders resort to using buckets within their stalls and later dumping the waste into drainage channels, exacerbating the foul smell.
Even where toilets exist, some traders avoid paying the nominal fees, choosing instead to relieve themselves inside their shops. Despite the pervasive stench, food vendors continue to sell meals nearby, while customers hold their noses, highlighting the severity and complexity of the crisis.
Delays in Waste Collection by LAWMA
Further investigation revealed that in numerous markets, garbage piles remain untouched for days due to delays by the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA). Traders reported that scavengers rummage through the waste for recyclables, scattering trash and attracting swarms of flies.
Residential neighborhoods face similar neglect, with overflowing bins left unattended for weeks. Some residents claim LAWMA trucks visit only biweekly, while others accuse non-paying households of illegally dumping refuse on road medians and into drainage systems, worsening the problem.
“LAWMA trucks don’t arrive on schedule, so people pile garbage outside their homes. That’s why the smell is everywhere,” said Mr. Timothy Idialu. Supporting this view, Kafayat Oniselu, a trader at Boundary Market, noted, “When cart pushers collected our waste daily, the market was cleaner. But since government officials began arresting them, the trash has just accumulated.”
Another trader, Mr. Chinedu, expressed frustration: “We’re stuck with mountains of garbage because LAWMA trucks don’t come on time. The stench is unbearable and drives customers away,” he said, gesturing toward a buzzing heap near his stall.
Attempts to reach LAWMA’s Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Shade Kadiri, for comment were unsuccessful as she was unavailable at the time of publication.