Lagos residents lament rising plastic waste crisis
Lagos, May 2026 (TBL Africa) Residents and traders across Lagos have expressed concern over the growing economic and health impact of plastic waste, saying blocked drainage channels caused by indiscriminate disposal are worsening flooding, damaging goods and disrupting commercial activities.
The discarded nylon bags, plastic bottles, takeaway packs and sachet water wraps litter drainage channels and canals across major markets and roads in the state, especially after rainfall.
Some traders said plastic waste often clogs drainage systems, causing floodwater to overflow into shops during heavy rains.
A household items trader at Oshodi Market, Mrs Taiwo Adeyemi, said floodwater regularly surrounds shops because gutters are blocked with plastic waste.
“Anytime rain falls, water gathers around our shops because nylon bags and bottles have blocked the gutters. Traders struggle daily to keep the environment clean,” she said.
Adeyemi added that despite the ban on single-use plastics, many traders still rely on nylon bags because customers demand them and alternatives are more expensive.
“The government banned some plastics, but people still use them in markets because paper or reusable options cost more,” she said.
In Ikeja, a resident, Miss Chisom Benson, said stagnant water caused by blocked drains had increased mosquito infestation and foul odours in many streets.
“Dirty water stays for days because plastics block the drainage. Mosquitoes and bad smell have become part of daily life,” she said.
At Agege Market, a food vendor, Mrs Aribike, said poor sanitation around blocked drainage channels was affecting business activities.
“Customers often complain about dirty surroundings and foul smells near the market,” she said.
Aribike said most food vendors still use styrofoam packs and nylon bags because they are affordable and readily available.
A commercial bus driver, Mr Power Salami, said blocked drainage channels also worsen traffic congestion after rainfall.
“Once rain starts, traffic builds up because gutters filled with plastics overflow onto the roads,” he said.
Residents in some low-income communities also expressed concern over the burning of accumulated plastic waste, saying it exposes families to harmful smoke.
“People burn the waste because it piles up quickly, but the smoke affects everyone, especially children,” a resident of Agege, Madam Mutiat, said.
A mother of four, Mrs Ibukun Momodu, linked poor drainage and plastic waste to recurring malaria cases in her community.
“We treat malaria almost every month because mosquitoes breed around blocked drains and plastic waste,” she said.
Some residents called for stricter enforcement of the ban on SUPs, urging supermarkets and large retail outlets to phase out nylon bags and adopt reusable or paper alternatives.
Findings indicate that Nigeria generates more than 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with over 70 per cent ending up in landfills, drainage channels and water bodies.
Lagos alone is estimated to generate between 50 million and 60 million discarded sachet water nylons daily, worsening environmental pollution and flooding across the state.
An environmental advocate, Mr Friday Oku, attributed the worsening plastic pollution to poor implementation of environmental policies and inadequate public awareness on waste separation.
According to him, government should review its waste management strategy and integrate informal waste operators into the system.
“The government needs to properly integrate the informal sector into the waste management value chain,” he said.
Oku said informal waste workers could help recover recyclable materials directly from communities before refuse is transported to dump sites.
