Nigeria’s Waste Sector Faces Struggles as Green Jobs Fall Short of Decency Standards

Green jobs in Nigeria, a key pillar in the global fight against climate change, are being hampered by poor working conditions, particularly in the waste management sector, according to a report by the International Labour Organisation (ILO). Findings from ILO-supported research reveal that waste workers in Nigeria face substandard conditions, including the absence of personal protective equipment (PPE), health insurance, and formal employment protections.

At a validation workshop held in Lagos, Stephen Agugua, National Project Director of the Just Transition and Green Jobs initiative, presented the findings from the ILO’s latest research on waste management, which focused on improving conditions for Nigeria’s waste pickers. The study, conducted across Abia, Kano, and Lagos states, seeks to ensure that the transition to green jobs is both sustainable and socially just.

“The essence of the research was to gather informed data that would enable us to craft effective interventions in the waste management sector,” Agugua stated.

The research highlighted alarming disparities in the regulatory and operational frameworks of waste management across the states. In Kano, for example, the government is still relying on a waste management law from 2003. Following visits to two government-approved waste disposal sites, the research team called for an urgent review of the outdated legislation. Key areas flagged for improvement in Kano included medical waste management, organic waste combustion, and waste-to-energy practices.

Lagos, on the other hand, presents a starkly different picture. The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), working alongside the private sector, manages waste from over 10,000 informal waste pickers, often referred to as “urban miners.” However, the research unearthed troubling instances of child labour in the sector—an issue strongly condemned by the study’s lead researcher, Dr Ikenna Uzonu.

“The whole of the United Nations frowns upon child labour. It’s not right, and it’s not proper,” Uzonu stated. He also criticisedthe common practice in Nigeria of redefining who qualifies as a child. “Anyone under 18 years old is a child. There’s no debate about that.”

The research further shed light on gender inequality in the sector, with women facing significant barriers to participation. In Abia State, female waste workers were virtually absent, while in Kano, women were largely confined to sorting waste due to a lack of capital to fully engage in the business. Across all states surveyed, the poor and hazardous conditions at dump sites deterred more women from entering the field.

Agugua highlighted that the overall working environment for waste workers remains woefully inadequate. “We are yet to see a dump site that meets standard environmental conditions,” he said. “Women, in particular, find it difficult to cope with these conditions, which limits their participation in the sector.”

Despite high awareness of the need for PPEs, their usage remains low due to weather constraints and poverty. “The PPEs are not suited for our climate, and with poverty as an added factor, many workers cannot even afford basic gear like boots and gloves,” Agugua noted.

Perhaps most troubling was the report’s finding that the vast majority of waste workers have no health insurance or job security. In Kano, female street sweepers revealed that they lacked insurance and were employed on an informal basis, leaving them vulnerable to arbitrary dismissal without recourse.

“You can be fired at any time,” one worker explained. “You come to work, and they can just tell you to go. There’s nothing you can do because you aren’t formally employed.”

The ILO’s research underscores the urgent need for formalisation of waste workers’ employment, not just to improve their working conditions but also to make green jobs more attractive and sustainable in the long term. As Aguguaconcluded, “Formalising employment is the key to enhancing the decency of green jobs and ensuring these workers receive the protections they deserve.”

The report calls for a concerted effort by government agencies, private sector actors, and civil society to address these systemic issues and create a fairer, more sustainable waste management sector.