Assessing Local Government Capacity in Solid Waste Management in Nigeria: Evidence from Environmental Agency Reports, 2015–2024

Background: The increase in urbanization and population has led to an increase in solid waste generation in Nigeria. Environmental sanitation is a burden on the local governments that are charged with its responsibility. While there have been various studies done regarding solid waste management, few have considered the synthesis of evidence from environmental agency reports in order to determine the capacity of local governments.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the capacity, performance, and challenges of local governments in solid waste management in Nigeria between 2015 and 2024.

Method: Secondary data design was employed. 12 reports were collected from the Federal Ministry of Environment, NESREA, NBS, World Bank, and UN-Habitat on the basis of eligibility criteria between 2015 and 2024 and analysed using trends and thematic analysis approaches.

Results: Urban population rose steadily in the course of time during the study period. Various institutional challenges like inadequate budget, weak environmental regulation laws, poor infrastructure for solid waste management, lack of recycling, and poor community participation were identified during the course of analysis.

Conclusion: It is not the absence of policy but the institutional weakness that hampers the capability of local governments to provide efficient solid waste management services.