Abuja: A nation’s capital defaced by refuse

Abuja was conceived as a model capital: orderly, functional and environmentally resilient, but today, that promise is under severe strain and threat as across key districts of Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), indiscriminate refuse dumping, weak waste governance and worsening climate pressures combine to produce a slow-burn environmental emergency.

From Jabi to Utako, Wuse, Garki, Kubwa, Nyanya, Karu and parts of the Central Business District, refuse-choked drains and waste-littered corridors have become defining features of daily life. Roads once designed for mobility now double as informal dumping grounds, while drainage systems meant to protect the city from flooding have become traps for plastic waste and polluted water.

Two months after Weekend Trust published a report on how refuse had overtaken major parts of the capital city, residents and visitors alike have continued to express growing concern over the menace of indiscriminate dumping of refuse on major roads and the official negligence regarding its evacuation.

Worst-hit areas

In Jabi, particularly around access roads leading to the motor park and adjoining commercial zones, refuse routinely spills into open drains. Plastic bottles, sachet water packaging and household waste accumulate unchecked, narrowing water channels.

Ironically, Utako, a highbrow area of the nation’s capital, presents a similar picture. Areas surrounding the market, transport hubs and residential streets are plagued by blocked drainage and heaps of refuse that often reappear days after evacuation.  Experts warn that during heavy rains, which would start in a few months, leaving water to back up quickly, flooding roads and creating stagnant pools that linger long after the clouds have cleared.

Field observations across First, Second, and Third Avenues—especially around the Kilimanjaro axis extending through Fourth and Fifth Avenues in Gwarimpa—show a consistent pattern: where waste bins are absent or poorly maintained, refuse appears; where enforcement is weak, dumping becomes routine. Residents openly describe these locations as “land dustbins,” an admission that environmental degradation has become normalised.

Environmentalist Idowu Ogunde noted that it is disheartening to see mountains of refuse competing with the city’s skyline in districts such as Wuse, Utako, Garki, Gwarinpa, Jabi, Life Camp, and Nyanya. In these areas, the stench of decomposing waste hangs in the air, while scavengers and stray animals roam freely around dumpsites.

Security, health risks

When our reporter visited parts of Gwarinpa, Life Camp junction and the Nyanya interchange on Tuesday, residents decried the refuse heaps, which they said had become permanent fixtures.

Ismail Dayo, a businessman in Gwarinpa, noted that beyond the environmental hazards, the dumps are now attracting criminal activity.

“The dumps attract scavengers, locally known as baban bola, who pick up recyclable materials but also use the sites as vantage points to spy on houses to attack at night,” Dayo claimed.

Public affairs analyst Ibrahim Jimoh added that the city is being choked by waste, noting that from Utako to Jahi, the situation is the same in Wuye, Garki and parts of the Maitama district. He warned that without urgent intervention, an environmental disaster is imminent.

In a previous interview, Dr Onaja Sunday, an environmental health specialist, explained that constant exposure to such toxins weakens the immune system.

“When refuse is left to rot in the open, it becomes a breeding ground for flies, rodents and mosquitoes that transmit diseases like cholera, typhoid and malaria,” she said. Communities close to these dumpsites are particularly at risk,” he said.

She called for urgent intervention, noting that with the FCT’s growing population, the volume of daily waste has increased dramatically, far outstripping the capacity of existing collection systems.

Abuja’s drainage network was designed to protect the city from flooding by rapidly channeling storm water away from residential and commercial areas. That system is now failing.

Blocked by plastic waste and household refuse, many drainages no longer function. During rainfall, waste is swept downstream, collecting at choke points until water spills onto roads, walkways and homes.

In low-lying parts of Jabi, Utako and Garki, residents report repeated flooding even after moderate rainfall.

“This place was supposed to be a waterway, but it is no longer flowing. It is filled with dirty water and it is affecting our health and environment badly,” said Sadia Haruna, a resident affected by the blocked drainage.

Stagnant water has become a permanent feature in some areas, turning public infrastructure into breeding grounds for mosquitoes and exposing communities to waterborne diseases.

While residents frequently blame the government for poor waste management, investigations reveal that public behaviour significantly contributes to the crisis. Many residents admit to dumping refuse in drains or at informal collection points, often assuming that rain or wind will carry it away.

Ibrahim Usman, a resident said, “People just throw it anywhere. They believe the breeze will take it somewhere else. Instead, it gathers and blocks the drainage.”

In Jabi and Utako, evacuation trucks sometimes collect waste from designated points but leave behind significant residue without proper containment. Scavengers and passersby then scatter the remaining refuse, undoing temporary cleanups and leaving communities trapped in a cycle of neglect.

Environmental analysts warn that the refuse crisis can no longer be viewed in isolation. Climate change is intensifying rainfall patterns in the FCT, increasing the frequency of heavy downpours that overwhelm compromised drainage systems.

According to an urban sustainability expert, Dr Ibrahim Sule, the combination of blocked drainage and climate-induced rainfall is dangerous.

“Whenever Abuja experiences more intense rainfall, it is linked to climate change. When drainage systems are clogged with refuse, flooding becomes inevitable even after short bursts of rain,” Sule explained.

He noted that plastic waste is particularly destructive. “Plastic does not decompose. It forms barriers that turn drains into dams. Once water is trapped, it spreads into streets and homes, carrying pollutants and disease,” he said.

Why the crisis persists

Barnabas Atiyaye, a Fellow of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners, attributed the crisis to rapid urban growth and weak institutional coordination. He noted that the FCT had experienced “massive population expansion,” particularly within the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and satellite towns like Gwarinpa, Bwari, Gwagwalada, Kuje and Karu.

“Despite government’s efforts through the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the area councils, waste collection and disposal remain below expectation. Many residential areas and markets suffer from irregular collection, illegal dumpin, and open burning,” he noted.

Experts insist that addressing Abuja’s refuse crisis requires more than sporadic cleanups. Authorities must invest in accessible waste bins, consistent evacuation schedules, strict enforcement of sanitation laws and transparent accountability mechanisms.

At the same time, residents must confront attitudes that treat public spaces as disposable. “This is not just a government failure; it is a collective failure. “Without behavioural change, even the best waste policies will collapse,” Sule stressed.

As rainfall patterns become more unpredictable, the cost of inaction will rise. Unless urgent steps are taken, Abuja risks becoming a city defined by flooding and disease—a stark contradiction of the model capital it was meant to be.

Gradual evacuation of refuse underway – FCTA

Lere Olayinka, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication and Social Media to the FCT Minister, said the FCT Administration had commenced the gradual evacuation of refuse across the city.

Acknowledging previous lapses in waste management, Olayinka noted a shift in the cleanliness of the capital.

“At some point, there were complaints—even from people like me. But the truth of the matter is that I have personally noticed a significant level of improvement in waste management,” he said.

Olayinka commented on the public’s reaction to the changes, noting that feedback is often quiet once issues are addressed:

“In this country, it is when we have nothing to eat that we shout. When we have ‘chopped,’ we no longer talk. When the refuse was rampant, everybody was making noise. Now that there is improvement, the same public that was shouting should also be able to come out and say, ‘Thank you, government.’”

Regarding infrastructure maintenance ahead of the weather shift, he added: “Concerning the clearing of drainages, what needs to be done will be done before the rainy season begins.”

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