The Lagos State Government is shifting its enforcement strategy against illegal street trading by targeting the demand side of the informal economy. Starting next week, residents and visitors in the state face arrest and prosecution for purchasing goods from illegal roadside traders, as the government intensifies its campaign to clear high-traffic corridors and improve urban hygiene.
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) confirmed that the enforcement marks a strategic escalation from penalising only the sellers to targeting the buyers who sustain the informal roadside economy. According to a statement from the agency, the move is designed to dismantle the economic incentive for traders to occupy pedestrian walkways and major highways, which often results in severe traffic congestion and environmental degradation.
Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority, stated that the persistence of street trading despite repeated warnings has necessitated a more drastic approach. Gbadegesin noted that the presence of traders on the roads leads to the indiscriminate disposal of waste, which frequently ends up in the state’s drainage systems, contributing to seasonal flooding and infrastructure damage.
The enforcement exercise will be carried out in collaboration with the Lagos Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), popularly known as KAI. Officials have been mandated to monitor known hotspots across the metropolis, where buyers often stop their vehicles or congregate on foot to purchase items ranging from electronics to perishable food items. Under the existing Lagos State Environmental Management and Protection Law, both the buyer and the seller are liable for environmental infractions that disrupt the free flow of traffic or compromise public health.
Economic and Environmental Costs of Roadside Trading
The decision to penalise buyers stems from a long-standing struggle to regulate the state’s vast informal trade sector. While street trading provides a livelihood for thousands of micro-entrepreneurs, it also creates significant negative externalities for formal businesses. Retailers who pay shop rents, local government levies, and state taxes have frequently complained of unfair competition from roadside sellers who occupy the frontage of formal marketplaces without similar overhead costs.
Financial analysts suggest that the informal nature of roadside trading also results in significant revenue leakage for the state government. By forcing trade back into designated markets and shopping complexes, the government aims to better capture economic data and ensure that commercial activities comply with health and safety standards. The move is also expected to reduce the man-hours lost to traffic gridlock, which is often exacerbated by buyers stopping abruptly on busy roads like the Oshodi-Apapa Expressway and the Lekki-Epe corridor.
The latest report by Nairametrics indicates that the enforcement will not be limited to daytime activities. LAWMA has indicated that night-time roadside markets, which have become prevalent in areas like Oyingbo, Mushin, and Ajah, will also be targeted. These night markets are often blamed for the accumulation of massive heaps of refuse found on medians every morning, which stretch the resources of waste collection personnel.
Lagos has previously taken stern measures against market-related environmental abuses. In recent years, several major markets, including the Mushin Main Market and sections of the Ladipo Auto Spare Parts Market, were temporarily sealed due to poor waste management and encroachment on public roads. However, this is one of the few instances where the state has explicitly focused on the legal culpability of the consumer.
Legal experts note that individuals caught purchasing from illegal traders could face fines or community service upon conviction in the state’s mobile courts. The government has urged residents to utilise designated markets and formal retail outlets to avoid the risk of prosecution. The enforcement teams are expected to begin operations across major arterial roads starting Monday, marking a new phase in the state’s drive for a cleaner and more orderly commercial environment.
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