…70% of children near recycling areas severely affected

…Nigeria’s e-waste challenge at alarming stage

….60,000 tons of second-hand electronics flow in annually

…90% improperly disposed

By Juliet Umeh

NIGERIA is drowning in a sea of electronic waste, e-waste. Medical experts have warned that the consequences could be fatal to Nigerians.

The menace has also been fingered for environmental degradation, and part of the reasons why the economy remains weak.

From the World Health Organisation, WHO; the United Nations International Children Education Fund, UNICEF to the International Climate Change Development Initiative, ICCDI, among other experts, the message is that every part of the country should adopt sustainable approaches towards reducing e-waste to save both the people, environment and the economy.

Co-founder of the ICCDI Africa, Mr Olumide Idowu, told Vanguard: “The rising volume of e-waste in Nigeria is alarming. While proper handling of e-waste could boost the economy, improper handling, which appears to be the case in Nigeria, affects the people, the environment and the economy adversely.”

Growing e-waste dump sites

Statistics from WHO say an estimated 60,000 tonnes of second-hand electronics enter the country annually, mostly from Europe, the US, and Asia, giving Nigeria the image of a global e-waste dump site

Most of these e-wastes come into Nigeria as items labelled ‘reusable’ or ‘refurbishables.’

However, they are actually hazardous junks, dumped or discarded in heavily populated markets and at informal recycling centres.

Markets like Ikeja Computer Village and Alaba International in Lagos State; Ariaria in Aba, Abia State and Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State, among others across the country, are said to have large chunks of these dumps.

A 2020 UNICEF study revealed that approximately 70 per cent of children residing near e-waste dump sites or recycling areas develop elevated blood lead levels, which lead to cognitive impairments, stunted growths, and neurological damage.

UNICEF says in some areas, lead exposure exceeds safe limits by up to 50 times.

However, e-waste dump sites keep growing across the country because while it is said to endanger people’s lives, it also lines the pockets of some traders, who only see the business aspect of it.

Economics of e-waste

A scrap seller at Arena Market, in Ikeja, Lagos, Oluchukwu Nwokolo, capped his submission to our question on why he is comfortable on the heap of e-waste with: “Scrap is money and if one is not comfortable around a heap of money, I don’t know where else to go.

“I have heard much about e-waste, but if these my goods qualify to be called so, let me explain the economic side to you.

“First, we buy them from people who import them as reusable or refurbishable items. We sell some of the items that can be useful in homes and offices; we repair others that are not working immediately, and sell those that can’t be repaired to scavengers, who melt them for metals or resell the items to recyclers. So you can see that every aspect of what you call e-waste is money.”

At the Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Mr Paul Ezeh, a dealer on fairly used electronics, echoed the sentiments of Nwokolo: “They say the fairly used goods we sell are picked from dumpsters in countries like the US and Canada. But what is bad in getting what has been discarded in rich economies to solve problems for poor people in poor countries?

“Sometimes we follow trends abroad without considering how our economy will react to the effects of what we are copying. If these goods pose danger or health hazards, it is not about us who are selling usable ones to homes and offices.

“Government should focus on scavengers, who indiscriminately burn the metals for certain bye-products or regulate recycling centres, which most probably are not well sited or lack adequate safety measures. I do not think the perception that fairly used goods sold in the markets constitute e-waste is correct.”

For traders across the country, the mentality is the same and their views are that by selling fairly used electronic devices, they are helping the economy rather than affecting it negatively.

Children as collateral damage

ICCDI’s Idowu, lamented the effects of e-waste recycling, saying: “There are estimated 100,000 scavengers and informal recyclers roaming the streets and burning discarded electronics to extract metals like copper and gold.

“This process of recycling releases clouds of toxic fumes, exposing the people to harmful chemicals such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and arsenic.

“Both the scavengers and children living within the environment the metals are being burnt are vulnerable and consequently suffer collateral damages of e-waste.

“Exposure to the fumes can cause respiratory illnesses, kidney damage and cancer, which are rife in the country today. Children, whose bodies are still developing, are especially vulnerable to the neurotoxic effects of lead and other harmful substances.

“Studies have shown that over 40 per cent of informal e-waste workers suffer from respiratory issues, while children experience stunted growth, weakened immune systems, and learning difficulties.

“For instance, in Lagos, where an estimated 1.1 million tonnes of e-waste are generated annually, hospitals are seeing rising cases of cancer, neurological disorders, and respiratory diseases linked to inhaling of chemicals.

“Schools in e-waste-heavy regions report lower academic performances and higher absenteeism due to illnesses.

“We are poisoning the next generation and the time to put this in check is now.”

Weak law enforcement

Despite Nigeria’s ratification of the Basel Convention, which controls hazardous waste movement, it appears compliance is weak.

There are also regulations like the National Environmental (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) Regulations 2011 and the Extended Producer Responsibility, EPR, framework among others. Yet, according to Idowu, “Only 10 per cent of Nigeria’s e-waste is properly managed, with the rest ending up in informal dumps or being exported to neighbouring countries with even fewer regulations.”

A senior official at the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, exonerated the commission from culpability in poor awareness of electronic waste in the country.

Although he preferred not to be quoted, he claimed that the NCC had initiated awareness campaigns and developed guidelines for managing e-waste within the ICT sector.

“We have partnered with agencies like the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, to develop guidelines aimed at reducing the environmental and health impact of discarded electronics.

“We have also partnered Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, and other relevant agencies to create awareness and discourage indiscriminate dumping of ICT wastes.

“In fact, I can tell you that the telcos and value added services providers, who are directly under our regulation, comply fully to our directives.”

However, it appears these efforts barely scratch the surface. With inadequate infrastructure, lack of funding, and minimal public awareness. And, so, the e-waste crisis continues to spiral out of control.

Turning e-waste to fortunes

The Lagos State government said it has set plans in motion to turn the waste challenge in the state into profit and called on state stakeholders to key in.

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, at a recent workshop that capped the 5th edition of the Lagos Waste Forum, themed, “Unlocking Nigeria’s Green Potential: Waste Reduction, Recycling, and Circular Economy Pathways to Jobs, Business, and Sustainability,” said: “With a population exceeding 20 million, Lagos generates over 13,000 metric tons of waste daily. However, we see this challenge as an opportunity to innovate, create jobs, build businesses, and promote sustainability. The green economy is a goldmine waiting to be unlocked.”

Represented by his Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Rotimi Akodu, the governor said Lagos has taken bold steps to lead in waste management by promoting recycling hubs, launching public awareness campaigns, and exploring advanced technologies such as waste-to-energy conversion.

“Through the efforts of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority, LAWMA, and strategic partnerships, we are maximizing resource recovery to reduce the burden on landfills,” he added

Also,Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, echoed the governor’s claim that waste was not merely a challenge but an opportunity to be harnessed for economic and environmental benefits.

“LAWMA is committed to innovation and collaboration for a safe environment and proper handling of wastes. We have partnership with Ghana’s Jospong Group to establish Material Recovery Facilities, MRFs, an integrated system that will prioritize recycling, composting, and reuse, significantly reducing waste sent to landfills,” he disclosed.

Protecting the future

At the event, stakeholders unanimously admitted that the consequences of Nigeria’s e-waste crisis are dire but can be properly managed.

They agreed that to protect the most vulnerable, particularly children, government at all levels must act decisively; including enforcing existing regulations, investing in formal recycling infrastructure, and banning the import of unsalvageable electronics.

They proffered sustainable public awareness campaigns as a way to go, in addition to providing informal recyclers with needed education on safer practices.