LAGOS, Nigeria: The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced plans to begin arresting residents who buy goods from traders operating illegally on roadsides and other unauthorised public spaces across the state.
The enforcement, which is expected to begin next week, will target both the illegal traders and the people patronising them.
LAWMA Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, disclosed this at the authority’s headquarters on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
According to him, the move is part of a renewed enforcement strategy aimed at tackling illegal street trading, indiscriminate waste disposal and the obstruction of public infrastructure across Lagos.
Gbadegesin said the enforcement would no longer focus solely on traders, as customers who buy from them could also be held accountable under the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017.
He explained that the law not only prohibits trading in unauthorised locations but also makes it an offence to purchase goods displayed or offered for sale in prohibited areas.
“From next week, anyone found buying from traders operating on roadsides, medians, walkways, setbacks or other unauthorised spaces will be arrested, alongside the traders, and prosecuted in accordance with the law,” he said.
Buyers Could Face Fine or Jail
LAWMA said anyone convicted of the offence could face a ₦90,000 fine, six months’ imprisonment, or both, under Section 151(2) of the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017.
Gbadegesin said illegal roadside and median trading often contributes to the dumping of waste on roads, in drainage channels and other public spaces.
He added that the practice could worsen blocked drains, traffic congestion and public health risks.
The LAWMA boss said the agency’s objective was to break the cycle in which traders return to cleared areas because residents continue to patronise them.
He urged Lagos residents and businesses to patronise recognised markets and use approved waste collection channels.
Gbadegesin also said LAWMA would strengthen waste collection in communities around previously cleared dumping hotspots, while deliberate dumping, redumping and patronage of illegal markets would continue to attract enforcement.
The authority warned residents that convenience should not come at the expense of environmental sanitation, road safety, public health and the orderly use of public spaces.
