Journal of African Studies and Sustainable Development

Rapid urbanization, industrialization, commercialization, and population growth have significantly increased municipal solid waste generation in Port Harcourt Metropolitan City, Nigeria. Despite the establishment of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA) in 2015 and the adoption of Public–Private Partnership (PPP) arrangements, waste management challenges remain pervasive due to inadequate infrastructure, weak institutional coordination, insufficient funding, ineffective enforcement of environmental regulations, and limited public environmental awareness. This study critically evaluates urban waste management in Port Harcourt using a qualitative policy review design based on secondary data. A systematic documentary review was conducted of peer-reviewed journal articles, government publications, RIWAMA reports, NESREA policy documents, World Bank reports, UNEP reports, WHO publications, and other credible institutional sources published between 2015 and 2025. Data were analyzed using thematic content analysis to identify major patterns relating to waste generation, institutional capacity, environmental impacts, and policy effectiveness. Findings indicate that Port Harcourt generates approximately 2,000–3,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste daily [Rivers State Waste Management Agency, 2023; exceeding the capacity of existing waste management infrastructure. Major constraints include inadequate funding, poor institutional coordination, weak enforcement of sanitation laws, inadequate waste collection infrastructure, and limited recycling capacity. These challenges have contributed to flooding, environmental pollution, public health risks, ecosystem degradation, and declining urban aesthetics. The study concludes that achieving sustainable waste management in Port Harcourt requires integrated institutional reforms, increased investment in waste infrastructure, adoption of modern wasteprocessing technologies, strengthened public-private partnerships, improved environmental education, and effective enforcement of environmental regulations.

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