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STANDARDS FOR LANDFILLS IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background of the Study

Nigeria is located in Western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea. The country land borders with the Republic of Benin in the West, Chad and Cameroon in the East, and Niger in the north and has a coastline of at least 853km. Nigeria has a varied landscape, from the Obudu Hills in the southeast through the beaches in the south, the rainforest, the Lagos estuary and savannah in the middle and south west of the country and the sahel to the encroaching Sahara in the extreme north. The country has two main rivers: Niger and Benue. The two rivers converge and empty into the Niger Delta, the world’s largest river delta. Nigeria is a developing country, with a land area of 923,768 km2 , and a population of about 140 million with growth rate of 2.38. Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and ninth most populous country in the world. With populations distributed at 48.3% urban and 57.7% rural and population density at 139 people per square km. The country has GDP per capita of $1,800 and population below poverty line is 60%. Nigeria has a labour force of 50.13 million. The country comprises thirty-six states and one Federal Capital Territory, which were further subdivided, into 774 Local Government Areas. Life expectancy is 47 years (average male/female). The government provides education free at primary school level. 68% of the population are literate and the rate of men (75.7%) is higher than for women (60.9%). The climate is equatorial in south, tropical in centre and arid in north. 33.02% of the land is arable. The Federal Government of Nigeria has promulgated various laws and regulations to safeguard the environment. These include Federal Environmental Protection Agency Act of 1988. The Federal Ministry of Environment administers and enforces environmental laws in Nigeria. It took over this function in 1999 from the Federal Environmental Protection Agency (FEPA), which was created under the FEPA Act. Pursuant to the FEPA Act, each state and local government in the country set up its own environmental protection body for the protection and improvement of the environment within its jurisdiction. Municipal solid waste management is a major responsibility of state and local government environmental agencies. The agencies are charged with the responsibility of