The Lagos State Government has further demonstrated its commitment to sustainable waste management and circular economy practices with the signing of three new Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) aimed at advancing its waste-to-wealth agenda.
According to a statement signed by Mr. Kunle Adeshina, Director of Public Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, the agreements were formalised over the weekend during the closing ceremony of the 11th Lagos International Climate Change Summit, held at the Continental Hotel, Victoria Island.
Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, described the new MoUs as a bold step toward transitioning the state’s waste management model from a traditional “pick-and-dump” system to a more sustainable circular economy framework.
“The new MoUs mark a new vista in our efforts to convert waste into wealth. Lagos is determined to move from a linear waste management model to a sustainable circular one where waste becomes a resource,” Wahab said.
He explained that one of the agreements, with HAK Waste Limited, would establish a circular beverage container recycling and recovery system anchored on the Extended Producer Responsibility Mechanism (EPRM). The initiative, he added, will include a deposit refund scheme and a packaging circularity ecosystem to reduce plastic pollution.
Another MoU, signed with Haggai Logistics Limited, will facilitate the establishment of a world-class tyre recycling plant, the first of its kind in Lagos dedicated to processing end-of-life tyres using fully automated, environmentally sound recycling technologies.
The third agreement, Wahab noted, was signed with Mondo 4 Africa, which aims to convert non-recyclable plastic waste into sustainable fuel and other valuable products through advanced, eco-friendly technologies.
The Commissioner stressed that the government would continue to intensify public sensitisation on waste sorting at the source, urging residents to view waste as a resource rather than a nuisance.
“We are trying to make people change their mindset from seeing waste as useless to recognising it as a valuable resource. This cultural shift is crucial to achieving sustainable waste management,” he said.
Wahab also underscored the need to develop financing frameworks to support environmental sustainability, noting that Lagos, as a coastal city, remains particularly vulnerable to climate-related challenges.
In his remarks, the Managing Director/CEO of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said the new partnerships align with the agency’s long-term strategy of improving the state’s environmental condition through robust public-private collaboration.
“The state government and LAWMA alone cannot manage the volume of solid waste generated daily in Lagos. We need strong private sector participation to turn waste into wealth,” Gbadegesin stated.
Representatives of the partner companies expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government for the opportunity to collaborate and pledged their commitment to actualising the waste-to-wealth vision.
Other dignitaries present included the Special Adviser on Environment, Engr. Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu; Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji; Permanent Secretary, Office of Drainage Services, Engr. Mahamood Adegbite; and LAWMA’s Executive Director (Finance), Mr. Kunle Adebiyi, among others.
