Population and the Environment: Implication for Waste Reduction in Nigerian Urban Centres

One of the greatest environmental issues in Nigeria is the problem of waste generation and disposal. Nigeria’s major urban centers are today fighting to clear mounting heaps of solid waste from their environments which has become a major concern for various stakeholders in Nigeria. The tremendous population increase in most urban cities in Nigeria has contributed immensely to the problem of waste generation and management. Therefore, with this rationale, this study is set to explore the links between population and the environment especially in the area of waste generation daily as a result of increasing population in urban centres. In this view, the study suggests the need for waste reduction in Nigeria which is a solution that warrants investigation, within the realm of household solid waste management since the individual is the primary waste generator and primary user of the waste management systems.
Keywords: Population, environment, waste generation, Waste reduction, Urban centres