Barriers and Solutions for Sustainable Household Waste Management in Lagos, Nigeria

Waste management is a growing challenge in Nigeria, with major environmental, health, and economic implications for its population. Several factors hinder adequate household waste management practices in Lagos. The infrastructure for waste collection and disposal is lacking, with insufficient waste collection trucks and storage capacity, overflowing and limited dumping sites, and inadequate recycling plants or companies. While these structural gaps will have to be filled to promote sustainable waste management in Lagos, behavioral science can also play a vital role in uncovering how decisions that affect the environment are made. This note sheds light on psychological, cognitive, emotional, cultural, and social factors contributing to waste mismanagement by Lagosians and provides recommendations for overcoming them. Based on a survey and qualitative data collected from residents of Lagos, this document summarizes the challenges that individuals face at various stages of the waste management journey - from planning and shopping, till final disposal