The Lagos State Government has reopened the Solus II dumpsite in Igando, Alimosho Local Government Area, and warned Private Sector Participation (PSP) waste operators to improve refuse collection across the state or face enforcement measures.

The government said it had completed the rehabilitation of the facility and its access road, removing a major operational challenge previously faced by waste managers.

The Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, gave the warning on Wednesday during an inspection of the reopened facility, stressing that operators had no further excuses for failing to evacuate refuse from residential areas.

“Too much is given, so much more is expected. There is no more excuse,” Wahab said.

He explained that the decision to rehabilitate Solus II followed consultations with waste operators, who had suggested reopening the facility rather than waiting for new disposal sites to be developed around Badagry and Epe.

According to the commissioner, the facility is expected to receive at least 100 waste trucks daily, a development projected to ease refuse disposal challenges across Lagos West.

He added that the repaired access road was expected to remain serviceable for at least one year, subject to quarterly maintenance.

Wahab urged PSP operators to reciprocate the government’s intervention by improving collection services, particularly in communities where residents have complained about irregular refuse evacuation.

He said the state would enforce its polluter-pays policy to ensure that residents who pay for waste collection receive the services promised by their operators.

The commissioner also warned that the government would hold defaulting operators accountable for failing to meet their responsibilities.

The reopening is expected to reduce the pressure on waste disposal operations in several parts of Lagos, following months of difficulty accessing suitable disposal facilities.

The National President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, welcomed the development, describing it as a major relief for operators.

Adebola said the closure of accessible disposal facilities had forced some waste managers to transport collected refuse more than 120 kilometres outside Lagos to Sagamu for disposal.

He assured residents that the association would work with the government to ensure effective management of the reopened facility and improve refuse evacuation.

He also commended the state government for providing bulldozers and other equipment to support operations at the site, saying the intervention would reduce delays and improve the movement of waste trucks.

Adebola expressed optimism that refuse collection would improve across Alimosho and adjoining communities, including Iba, Festac, Badagry and parts of Agege, within two weeks.

However, he urged the government to accelerate the rehabilitation of other disposal facilities, including Ewu-Elepe, Ikorodu, Oke-Aro and Badagry, to address waste management challenges in other parts of the state.

The reopening of Solus II forms part of the Lagos government’s efforts to improve waste collection and disposal infrastructure amid persistent complaints from residents over accumulated refuse.