Solid waste management in Minna, North Central Nigeria: present practices and future challenges

This review presents a brief trend in Minna Municipal solid Waste (MSW) management. Municipal solid waste is a major environmental problem in Minna as in many developing towns. Although strict regulations on the management of solid waste are in place, primitive disposal methods such as open dumping and discharge into surface water are still being used in various parts of the town. The review also presents the MSW management structure together with the present situation of generation composition, collection, disposal and treatment. It also provides a brief discussion on the future challenges. Waste generation increases by more than 200% within two decades and increase in budgetary allocation is not proportional to the waste generation increase. The waste management agency did not have enough resources to tackle the ever increasing Municipal Solid Waste. The collection process is deficient in terms of manpower and vehicle availability. Bin capacity provided is inadequate and their locations were found to be inappropriate, thus contributing to the inefficiency of the system. At this time, no treatment is provided to the waste after collection. Under- estimation of waste generation rates and inadequate management and technical skills were also responsible for inappropriate waste management system in the town.