By Faridat Salifu
The indiscriminate disposal of solid waste in Abuja has become a pressing public health and environmental challenge, with residents and business owners raising alarm over uncollected heaps in parts of the city.
One of the most visible sites sits by Jabi Park, near Rock of Ages Mall and A.A. Rano filling station, where a growing mountain of trash has turned into an eyesore and a potential health hazard for commuters, traders, and residents.
The site, located in full view of Jabi Garage, is impossible to miss for travelers entering the city.
Residents told NatureNews that the location could not be an official dumpsite, noting that no government-recognized site would be placed on a busy roadside without evacuation or monitoring.
Officials of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) declined to respond when Nature News visited their office, saying the director was unavailable and the officer in charge of the zone was not on seat and repeated efforts to reach him proved abortive.
On Monday, September 8, locals resorted to setting the waste on fire in an effort to reduce its volume. The damp pile, however, only produced thick smoke and a foul stench that spread across the neighbourhood.
“Our health is at risk,” said a resident at Jabi Garage, warning that the smoke and odour amount to constant air pollution.
Another resident, who requested anonymity, alleged that waste collectors and scavengers often dump refuse at the site without any government intervention.
Residents told Nature News that the site can not be an official dumpsite, insisting that no government-approved location would be situated by the roadside without regular evacuation or monitoring.
“This is Jabi, a major part of Abuja where travelers pass daily, but what they see is dirt,” he said.
Another trash dumpsite that has become an eyesore in Nigeria’s capital city is located at the Life Camp junction in Mbora district of Abuja.
The illegal waste dump that is expanding conspicuously on the median of the highway is located adjacent to the Family Wellness Mall and close to the Polaris Bank where a police vehicle is stationed.
Traders in the dumpsite vicinity said the Life Camp junction is also notorious for its seeming intractable traffic jam despite the presence of Vehicle Inspection Officers (VIO) and policemen.
Medical experts warn that open burning and prolonged exposure to such waste sites increase the risk of respiratory problems and other health complications.
According to the World Health Organization, more than 90 percent of children under the age of 15 breathe toxic air every day, putting 1.8 billion children globally at risk.
The State of Global Air report further revealed that air pollution was responsible for 8.1 million deaths worldwide in 2021, including 700,000 children under five.
In Nigeria, cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja face severe air pollution from traffic congestion, generator fumes, poor waste disposal practices, and seasonal harmattan dust.
Another hotspot is Gwarinpa, where a heap of uncollected refuse sits at the 3rd Avenue junction, directly in front of BEW Photogenic Studio, beside the Vitafoam depot, and close to Ebony Hospital.
Though not a designated dumpsite, locals say the volume of waste dumped there makes it appear like one.
“They come only when most of the dirt has decayed, dried up, or nearly washed away by rain,” said a nearby shop owner.
She recalled that in June, a large pile of refuse was deposited at the location and left untouched for weeks. “It took heavy rainfall to scatter the trash, and that made it worse. The entire area smelled horrible, and you couldn’t even pass without covering your nose,” she said.
Corn vendors and other traders nearby say the stench often disrupts business and drives customers away.
One vendor admitted: “We all throw our waste there because everyone else does. We don’t know if it’s approved or not, but that’s where people have been dumping waste for years.”
Some residents confessed that late-night dumping has become routine since no visible bins or facilities are provided within walking distance.
Locals report symptoms such as catarrh, throat irritation, and headaches, particularly among children and the elderly, which they link to the growing pile of decomposing refuse.
“It’s not like a dumpsite, but the amount of dirt now makes it look like one,” said a stationery shop owner.
Beyond the health concerns, the waste site has created an unusual tension in the area. Several visitors attempting to photograph the heap reported being quietly warned not to.
“It’s not a threat, but they always say it like they’re trying to protect you,” said one visitor. “They’ll say, ‘Please, don’t take pictures here. It’s for your own good.’ No one really explains why.”
With little visible action from the AEPB, locals in Jabi and Gwarinpa are now demanding urgent intervention. They are calling for routine waste collection, enforcement of sanitation laws, and installation of proper disposal facilities to prevent further abuse.
Until such measures are taken, residents warn, the unattended piles will continue to grow, damaging Abuja’s image as the nation’s capital while exposing thousands to avoidable health risks.
