E-waste, or electronic waste, has flooded Nigeria with electronic scrap, adding new challenges to waste management.
Observers around the globe said this trend is part of a larger crisis.
As reported, Nigeria has become a major destination for the developed world’s discarded electronics—items often near the end of life, sometimes completely dead, and frequently toxic because they contain hazardous materials.
When these materials break down, they add to landfills, worsening an already dire e-waste crisis on the African continent.
According to the United Nations, around 60,000 tonnes of used electronics enter Nigeria through key ports each year, with at least 15,700 tonnes already damaged upon arrival.
Moreover, the trade in used electronic goods is powered largely by foreign exporters.
Additionally, a UN tracking study between 2015 and 2016 showed that more than 85 percent of used electronics imported into Nigeria originated from Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, China, the United States, and the Republic of Ireland.
