Solid Waste Management: A Case of Abaji City, Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Municipal solid waste (MSW) management infrastructure is critical for City liveability. Cities without efficient MSW management infrastructure will be bedevilled with untidy environment. Cities at the periphery metropolitan areas face neglect on solid waste management. Abaji City in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja has been in the media for awhile as one of those cities facing neglect on solid waste management. Also, researchers focus more on the metropolitan areas creating research gap on the cities at edge. It is against this background, this study examined the state of municipal solid waste management in Abaji City, Nigeria. The objectives are to find out domestic waste management in the households, and to uncover general waste management in the study area. The methodology adopted in this study includes questionnaire survey and document analysis of media archives. The primary data used for this study came from questionnaires administered on randomly selected residents in the two zones of the study area. Out of 200 questionnaires distributed, 105 questionnaires were completely answered and returned thus form the basis of analysis for the survey. The secondary data utilized came from observations and media document analysis. Descriptive statistics and interpretative discourse approach were used to deduce conclusions. The study findings revealed a poor state of MSW management infrastructure with numbers of issues causing failure in the system, which includes lack of funds, lack of private sector participation and residents’ insensitivity to waste management in their environment. The study recommends among others adequate funding for MSW management, stakeholders’ participatory approach and selection of best suited waste treatment practice that is based on research.