'Towards Energy Recovery from Waste in Developing Countries: An analysis of the prospects and challenges of waste management in Abuja, Nigeria' by Eta Ojiji

Waste generation is a natural product of urbanization, economic development, and population growth. Globally, 2.01 billion tonnes of municipal solid waste (MSW) is generated annually and this is expected to increase to 3.40 billion tonnes by 2050, with projections showing that most of the increase will be in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. Nigeria like other developing countries in the region is faced with the problems of open dumping, low waste collection rates and ineffective waste management policies. Growing concerns about the negative consequences on health, the increasing awareness of the need for environmental sustainability, and the need for energy security have triggered the interest of governments in waste-to-energy (WtE) technologies, as an effective means of simultaneously dealing with the problems of waste management and electricity access. However, the selection and introduction of these technologies require knowledge of waste characteristics, comprehensive legal frameworks, and efficient waste management systems. This research examines the challenges of the Nigerian waste management system from a socio-demographic point of view. Using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, this research aims to construct a conceptual waste management framework for the introduction of new technologies. The study methods are carried out in two phases consisting of questionnaire surveys, a waste composition analysis, focus group meetings, and semi-structured interviews. Preliminary findings from the data analysis show that the challenges of open dumping and low waste collection rates occur in all income groups. However, there is a lack of information and communication regarding waste management in mostly low-income areas.