The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has announced a fresh enforcement measure aimed at discouraging illegal street trading and restoring order to roads, walkways, medians and other public spaces across Lagos State.
The agency warned that, beginning from next week, residents found buying goods from traders operating illegally on roads, medians, setbacks, walkways and other unauthorised public spaces will face arrest and prosecution.
The new enforcement approach shifts attention beyond the traders themselves, targeting customers who continue to patronise illegal roadside businesses.
According to LAWMA, the move is intended to discourage the demand that keeps unauthorised trading activities active in busy parts of the state.
The warning was disclosed by the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, at his office while speaking on the authority’s efforts to improve environmental management and maintain cleaner public spaces across Lagos.
LAWMA said the planned enforcement is backed by the Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law 2017, particularly Section 151, Subsection 2. The provision forms part of the legal framework guiding environmental management and public conduct within the state.
With the enforcement expected to begin next week, residents who routinely purchase food, clothing, household items and other goods from roadside traders may now face legal consequences if they patronise traders operating in prohibited locations.
Street trading has remained a persistent challenge in several parts of Lagos, particularly in areas where traders occupy walkways, road shoulders, medians and other spaces meant for pedestrians, motorists or general public use. While street trading provides a source of income for many residents, the practice has also raised concerns about traffic congestion, pedestrian safety, environmental sanitation and the proper use of public infrastructure.
In many busy areas, roadside traders often display their goods close to moving vehicles, forcing pedestrians to compete for limited road space or walk along dangerous sections of the road.
The presence of traders and customers can also create congestion, especially when motorists stop abruptly to purchase goods.
The environmental implications are another concern for authorities.
Food wrappers, plastic bags, bottles and other forms of waste can accumulate around trading points when traders and customers fail to dispose of refuse properly. Such waste can block drainage channels and contribute to flooding, particularly during periods of heavy rainfall.
According to the latest position from LAWMA, addressing the problem will therefore require more than simply removing traders from unauthorised locations.
By going after customers who patronise illegal roadside traders, the authority appears to be seeking to reduce the economic incentive for traders to return to restricted areas after enforcement operations.
The approach could also serve as a warning to members of the public who may have assumed that purchasing goods from roadside traders carries no consequences. Under the announced enforcement plan, buyers may now have to consider where a trader is operating before making a purchase.
Speaking on the development, Gbadegesin stressed the authority’s determination to ensure compliance with environmental regulations and maintain public spaces for their intended purposes.
The announcement reinforces LAWMA’s broader responsibility to promote a cleaner and more orderly Lagos.
For traders, the warning means that operating from roads, medians, walkways, setbacks and other unauthorised areas could expose them to enforcement action.
For customers, it means that patronising such traders may also attract legal consequences once the new enforcement exercise begins.
DDM News understands that the move is likely to affect traders operating around major roads and busy commercial areas where roadside buying and selling has become common.
Many residents often patronise these traders because they provide quick access to goods without requiring customers to enter formal markets or shops.
However, LAWMA’s position suggests that convenience will no longer be treated as sufficient justification for using public spaces for commercial activities.
The authority is expected to intensify public awareness and enforcement as the commencement date approaches.
The announcement also places greater responsibility on residents to support environmental regulations.
Rather than waiting for enforcement officials to remove traders, members of the public are being encouraged to avoid patronising businesses that operate in prohibited locations.
The agency’s decision comes as Lagos continues to face the challenge of managing a large and rapidly growing population while maintaining its roads, drainage systems, pedestrian routes and other public infrastructure.
With commercial activities taking place in virtually every part of the metropolis, authorities have continued to balance the economic needs of residents with the need to preserve public order and environmental standards.
For many street traders, enforcement could create concerns about their livelihoods, particularly those who depend on daily roadside sales to support themselves and their families.
However, the government’s position is that commercial activities should take place in designated and lawful locations rather than on infrastructure meant for transportation, pedestrian movement and other public purposes.
DDM News reports that the planned enforcement will make customers an important part of LAWMA’s strategy to tackle illegal street trading. If buyers stop patronising traders in restricted areas, the authority believes the demand sustaining the practice could decline.
As the enforcement date approaches, residents and traders across Lagos are expected to take the warning seriously. Traders operating in unauthorised public spaces may need to relocate to approved trading areas, while members of the public are being cautioned against purchasing goods from illegal roadside operators.
The development ultimately signals a stricter approach by LAWMA towards the use of public spaces for commercial activities. With arrests and prosecution now being threatened for customers who patronise illegal traders, residents may soon see a significant change in the way roadside trading is conducted across Lagos.
The authority’s message is clear: roads, walkways, medians, setbacks and other public spaces are not designated markets, and both traders and those who encourage the practice through patronage could face the consequences of violating the state’s environmental regulations.
