The Private Sector Participants operating refuse trucks in Lagos State have blamed the growing waste crisis in most parts of the state on their inability to offload refuse at the Olusosun dumpsite in the Ojota area of Lagos.
The PSP operators told PUNCH Metro on Saturday that this was due to congestion and long queues at the dumpsite, allegedly caused by poor maintenance of the facility by the state government through the Lagos Waste Management Authority.
For about six months, from August 2025 into early 2026, residents across the state repeatedly raised the alarm over the worsening state of refuse management, as heaps of waste littered road medians, streets and major highways in several parts of Lagos.
While efforts were made to clear the waste for a period of time, the problem later deteriorated as refuse began spending months littering neighbourhoods in various communities.
The areas include Oshodi, Isolo, Ajao Estate, Ilasamaja, Mushin and Idi Araba areas of the state.
A similar situation was also experienced in some parts of the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state.
During visits to some of the affected areas, our correspondent observed large piles of refuse overflowing outside several residential buildings and business premises.
PUNCH Metro, however, gathered that several refuse trucks meant to evacuate the waste were left stranded around the dumpsite as operators struggled to gain access to the facility to offload refuse.
During a visit to the dumpsite on Sunday, our correspondent observed a long queue of refuse trucks waiting to offload waste.
The access roads leading into the dumpsite were also discovered to have deteriorated significantly.
One of the operators, who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, however, said this had made it difficult for trucks to move freely within the premises.
He also described the situation at the dumpsite as very bad, adding that there was currently no available space for trucks to offload refuse.
He said, “Where we offload refuse is being managed by Lagos State. We are PSP operators, but the place itself is being run by the government. Right now, we are having issues accessing the dumpsite due to damaged roads.”
“Sometimes trucks get stuck in the mud, and if you are not careful, the truck can even fall over. When that happens, you are left to handle it yourself.
“We have had many issues like that. I don’t even know whether there is any way we can offload at the dumpsite today,” the operator added.
He added that truck drivers sometimes spent up to four days at the dumpsite before gaining access to offload refuse.
Another operator said the long queue at the dumpsite had disrupted their operations.
He stressed that the problem was not a shortage of trucks but the inability to offload waste promptly due to the poor condition of the internal roads leading to the offloading points.
He said, “It is not that there are no trucks. There are enough trucks, but there is nowhere to offload the refuse. My three trucks are currently at the dump site, and they have not returned for us to work.
“Even after gaining access, trucks have to climb difficult terrain before they can offload refuse. Sometimes the road is so bad that trucks struggle to move through it. About two or three months ago, my truck’s engine knocked because of the bad road inside the dump site. This has really affected our evacuation operations.”
“There is space to offload refuse. The issue is maintenance. If they repair the roads, it would create more space for trucks to offload refuse efficiently,” he added.
Speaking further, another operator who identified himself simply as Olamide explained that the delays at the dumpsite were also caused by inadequate caterpillar machines and their poor condition.
According to him, the caterpillar machines often fail to push and compress refuse at the dumpsite because of their poor condition.
He said, “Before now, if a truck got there by 2pm, by 6pm it would have finished offloading and left. Aside from the bad road, the caterpillars are not strong enough to push the refuse properly. It slows down the whole process.
“When diesel prices increased, some of the contractors handling the caterpillars even went on strike because of the cost of diesel. That also contributed to the slow process at the dump site.”
He also alleged irregularities in the queue system at the dumpsite, claiming that some operators bypassed the process through unofficial connections while others remained stranded for days.
“Before now, if my truck got there around one or two o’clock, it would leave the same evening. But now, if a truck arrives on Monday, it may not leave until Tuesday evening.
“At night, some people manoeuvre their way through the system. If you are connected, you may find your way. If you are not connected, you remain in the queue,” he alleged.
The operators also lamented that the cost of using alternative dumpsites in the state was not affordable due to their locations.
Speaking on the development, an operator who also preferred to be identified as Fadeyi said transporting refuse to the Epe dumpsite consumed more diesel and exposed trucks to frequent breakdowns and tyre damage.
“Going to Olusosun, we use about two kegs of diesel, but going to Epe or Badagry dumpsites, we use about three to three-and-a-half kegs. The road there is very bad and trucks often get stuck,” he disclosed.
The operators appealed to the state government to urgently rehabilitate the access roads and improve operational facilities at the dumpsite.
An operator who claimed to own about 10 trucks and identified himself simply as Jamiu said, “The major problem is the condition of the dump site because of poor maintenance.”
“The roads inside the dump site need urgent attention so trucks can move in, offload refuse and leave without unnecessary delays,” one of them said.
He also urged the government to engage PSP operators directly in addressing the challenges.
Another operator who claimed to be one of the pioneer operators but did not also want his name in print said, “PSP operators are the ones keeping Lagos clean, so their concerns should be taken seriously.”
“If necessary, the government can partner with the private sector to handle maintenance work more effectively,” the operator added.
Efforts to get a reaction from the Lagos Waste Management Authority through its spokesperson, Mukaila Sanusi, were unsuccessful, as calls made to his telephone line were not responded to. A text message sent to him had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
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