In many parts of Ogun State, the sight and smell of unmanaged waste have become an unwelcome part of every resident’s daily life. Seeing the way refuse lines the gutters, spills onto walkways, and clogs the very drains meant to protect them from floods. Children walking barefoot past trash-filled streets. The stench of decay around markets. These are not just unpleasant to the eyes, they are visible symptoms of a deeper problem: the waste management system is broken, and it is endangering public health. This quiet crisis has persisted for far too long, and it is not just about the visible mess but the broader cost to public health and safety.
According to a fact sheet from the Consulate General of Switzerland, Lagos, only about 20-30% of solid waste in Nigeria is collected and managed correctly. Consequently, some parts of the country are uninhabitable and pose serious health hazards, such as malaria, which spreads more easily. Ogun State, unfortunately, falls into this category. A 2025 Tribune article revealed that many areas lack formal refuse collection systems, prompting residents to burn, bury, or dump waste in open spaces and drainage channels, especially during the rainy season.
Waste mismanagement is not just a sanitation issue; it reflects a policy failure with significant public health consequences. It’s no news that poor waste disposal is a known driver of diseases such as cholera, typhoid, and malaria. In 2024, Ogun State saw a spike in cholera cases in areas like Abeokuta North, Obafemi-Owode, Ifo, and Ado-Odo/Ota, which was linked to poor hygiene and contaminated water conditions worsened by unmanaged waste.
Besides health risks, the economic impact is also severe. Residents spend more on healthcare due to frequent illnesses caused by unhygienic environments. And not to talk of severe flooding in areas like Ifo and Sango-Ota, worsened by clogged drainages from dumped waste, destroying homes and public infrastructure, costing the government millions annually in repairs and lost productivity.
Although the Ogun State government has made public commitments to improve waste management, such as the 2020 pledge to revamp its framework and involve more private sector players, residents still report that refuse trucks are often unavailable or out of service. This inconsistency has eroded public trust, leaving people with few options other than burning or illegally disposing of waste.
The way forward out of this mismanagement, however, requires some practical and community-centred solutions. For instance, Kigali, Rwanda, once faced severe sanitation challenges, but a structured, community-based waste collection system has since transformed the city into one of Africa’s cleanest. It began with something simple: defined collection zones and reliable pick-up schedules. When people know when and where to dispose of their waste, they do it. Ogun State can adopt a similar model by creating well-defined collection zones and schedules tailored to both urban and rural communities.
Promoting recycling and waste-to-energy initiatives should also be prioritized. For example, the Ondo State Integrated Waste Recycling and Treatment Project (OSIWRTP), launched in 2006, successfully converts agricultural, plastic, and metal waste into biogas, compost, and industrial materials. The Ogun state government can adopt this approach or support initiatives like Free Recycle, led by Ifedolapo Runsewe, turning abandoned tires into furniture and fashion pieces. This will not only help to improve the state’s sanitation but also create jobs and, of course, boost the local economy. Showing well that waste-to-wealth strategies are not just feasible but effective, making it a strong model for Ogun State to adopt.
Raising awareness and educating the public on waste management practices is also very important. Campaigns in schools, churches, mosques, and markets can instill the importance of responsible waste disposal. For example, the National Green Week program by the Green Education Foundation in the United States successfully engaged over 500,000 students in sustainable education, in which schools across the country, like Fisher Elementary in Massachusetts, also helped to reduce waste by up to 70% through activities such as recycling, using reusable containers, and waste-free lunch programs. This initiative simply shows how integrating environmental education in schools and other institutions can drive long-term behavioural change and significantly cut down waste.
The Ogun state government can also involve the communities directly. Forming local clean-up groups with youth, women, and traditional leaders can foster innovative waste management
practices. Just like the Green Africa Youth Organisation (GAYO), a youth-led advocacy group based in Ghana, implemented a Sustainable Community Project focusing on community-based waste management. This initiative, which involves activities such as composting, recycling arts, and producing charcoal briquettes from agricultural waste, engaged the local youth in these practices, and GAYO was able to create a zero-waste model for rural-urban areas, demonstrating the potential of grassroots innovation in waste management. This youth-led, community-based waste innovation model should be adopted and supported in Ogun State.
This is a call for Ogun State to urgently implement a comprehensive waste management policy that prioritizes community participation, recycling, and consistent enforcement across urban and rural areas. Policymakers should also legislate clear waste management protocols and support community-driven initiatives. By adopting this holistic approach, Ogun State can reduce public health risks, mitigate environmental degradation, and set a standard for sustainable development.
The time to act is now, for a cleaner, healthier Ogun State!
Opeyemi Obadimu
Opeyemi Obadimu is a social impact advocate, focusing on human rights and girl-child education advocacy, with an interest in any other policies that will improve humans’ ways or standard of living. She is a Policy Impact Fellow at Cheetahs Policy Institute.