Mountains of garbage have taken over roads, medians and bus stops across Lagos, as refuse evacuation has ground to a halt with waste trucks stranded at the Olusosun dumpsite.
The crisis, now in its second week, has left major areas including Alimosho, Ikeja, Oshodi and Surulere choking under piles of uncollected waste, raising fresh fears of disease outbreak and flooding as the rains intensify.
Waste workers on the ground blamed the logjam on severe flooding at Olusosun dumpsite, which has made access roads impassable. The development directly contradicts earlier assurances by the *Lagos State Government* that it had invested heavily to improve waste collection, drainage and sanitation ahead of the 2026 rainy season.
“It is shameful. We have trucks loaded for days but we cannot offload because the whole dumpsite is under water,” a PSP operator who pleaded anonymity told _The Alimosho Mail_. “Meanwhile, refuse is piling up on our streets and the government keeps telling us to do more.”
Residents say the situation has worsened in the last 72 hours. At bus stops in Ayobo, Egbeda and Iyana-Ipaja, heaps of black polythene bags now line the sidewalks, attracting flies, rats and scavengers. Traders and commuters complain of foul odour and blocked drains.
Environmental experts warn that the delay poses serious public health risks.
“When you leave waste on the streets during rain, you are inviting cholera, malaria and flooding. This is a disaster waiting to happen,” said Dr. Tunde Akinola, a public health consultant based in Lagos.
The state government is yet to issue a clear timeline for resolving the crisis at Olusosun, despite launching the _Cleaner Lagos Initiative_ with promises of 24-hour evacuation and modern waste infrastructure.
For millions of Lagosians, however, the reality on the ground tells a different story — one of broken promises, failed planning, and a city slowly being buried in its own waste.
As at press time, PSP operators said they were awaiting directives from LAWMA, while residents continue to bear the brunt.
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