Experts urge residents to see waste as resource

National President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Olubenga Adebola, said a shift in public mindset is critical to addressing the country’s waste challenges.

“Waste is not waste unless you waste it. People should begin to see waste not as waste, but as a resource,” he said, noting that modern waste management involves converting refuse into useful raw materials.

Adebola stressed the need for professionalism, access to capital, and adoption of modern technologies in the sector, adding that collaborations with institutions such as the International Finance Corporation (IFC) are ongoing to improve capacity nationwide.

He said effective waste management requires the involvement of all stakeholders, including governments, operators, and residents.

The Executive Chairman of Orile-Agege LCDA, Idowu Akinola Abiodun, said the council’s intervention was aimed at strengthening the system that keeps the environment clean and residents healthy.

According to him, six PSP operators received ₦2 million each as interest-free loans to support their operations, improve efficiency, and enhance service delivery.

He explained that the loans are to be repaid over 12 months after a one-month grace period.

Abiodun said the initiative followed extensive consultations with Community Development Committees (CDCs), Community Development Associations (CDAs), the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and other stakeholders to address sanitation challenges in the area.

He noted that enforcement measures have also been introduced to ensure compliance, including sanctions against residents who fail to properly dispose of waste or pay for collection services.

“There is now an agreement that no household should be indebted for waste services once collection is properly carried out,” he said.

The chairman added that the council has also put in place monitoring mechanisms to ensure that PSP operators meet their obligations, following complaints from residents about service delivery.

A beneficiary, Otunba Oladejo, described the initiative as unprecedented, noting that access to funding would help operators improve their operations.

He, however, identified poor payment compliance by some residents as a major challenge, expressing optimism that planned enforcement would improve revenue collection and service delivery.

The programme, stakeholders said, marks a step toward improving environmental sanitation, while promoting a broader shift toward viewing waste as an economic resource.