E-Wastes Management: The Nigerian Case (Overview)

This work is to evaluate the management e-waste in Nigeria, with the country ranked as the major receiver of used electrical and electronic equipment (UEEE) by the United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) among African countries and, consequently, the highest source of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) due to the large amount of UEEE imported into the country annually. The quantity of UEEE entering the country (Nigeria) is over half a million annually, and this number is feared to be on the rise even as the country’s population is exponentially increasing, thereby increasing the demand for technological equipment. Waste management is a global issue, with many developed countries harnessing the economic power of waste management either by employing stiff policies or the deployment of advanced technology. In doing this, we seek to critically look into e-waste management practices in the country and analyze some of the harmful substances and their health hazards for humans and the public in general. And taking a look into the laws governing the importation of UEEE and the disposal of WEEE by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). The country's e-waste management is relatively below average, and there is a need to enhance a more technological way of managing e-waste and also harness the opportunities in optimizing ewaste, basically by practicing the reduction, re-use, and recycle (RRR) method. This, in a way, can help the country grow economically and improve a healthy living environment.