Environmental health situation in Nigeria: current status and future needs

Abstract

Environmental health-related risks are becoming a primary concern in Nigeria, with diverse environmental problems such as air pollution, water pollution, oil spillage, deforestation, desertification, erosion, and flooding (due to inadequate drainage systems) caused mostly by anthropogenic activities. This paper reviews the pre-existing and current environmental health problems, proffer future research and needs, policy needs, and recommendations necessary to mitigate Nigeria's environmental health situation. Data from the Institute of Health Metric and Evaluation on Global Burden of Disease (GBD) was used to ascertain the causes of Death and Disability-adjusted Life Years (DALYs) in Nigeria from 2007-2017 and published literatures where reviewed. According to the world health data report, most of the highest-ranked causes of DALYs in Nigeria are related to environmental risk factors. The lower respiratory infection associated with air pollution has advanced from the 4 th in 2007 to the highest ranked cause of death in 2017. Other predominant causes of death associated with environmental risk factors include chronic respiratory diseases, cardiovascular diseases, enteric infections, diarrheal diseases, communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional disease, which has resulted in approximately 800 thousand deaths and 26 million people living with DALYs per annum in Nigeria. Major environmental risk factors include household air pollution, ambient air pollution, water, sanitation, and hygiene (WaSH), which shows a prolonged but progressive decline. In contrast, ambient particulate matter pollution, ambient ozone pollution, and lead exposure show a steady rise associated with death and DALYs in Nigeria, indicating a significant concern in an environmental health-related risk situation. Sustaining a healthy environment is critical in improving the quality of life and the span of a healthy life. Therefore, environmentally sustainable development policies and practices should be essential to the population and policymakers for a healthy life.

Assessment of aflatoxin and heavy metals levels in maize and poultry feeds from Delta State, Nigeria

“…Similarly, co-exposure to Pb and Hg among artisanal gold miners has been reported in Bukkuyum Local Government Area of Zamfara State, Nigeria (Rabiu et al 2019). In a more recent study, Pona et al (2021) reported that Pb exposure in Nigeria caused over 2,500 deaths and about 600 thousand disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost yearly between 2007 and 2017, with a steady increase in cardiovascular disease and ischaemic heart diseases. Pb toxicity in poultry has also been observed in North-Western Nigeria with concentrations in the tissues ranging between 7.5 mg/kg and 120.5 mg/kg wet weight (Oladipo et al 2020).…”

“…Comparing the levels of heavy metal contamination between regions showed generally higher levels of toxic elements in the central and this occurrence could be probably due to the trace oil exploration activities that regularly pollutes the soils in the region. In addition, illegal artisanal heavy metal mining activities, use of leaded petrol and the dumping of electronic wastes have also been reported to contribute to environmental heavy metal contamination, poultry toxicity and human poisoning in Nigeria (Dooyema et al 2012;Rabiu et al 2019;Oladipo et al 2020;Pona et al 2021). Iftikhar et al (2014) analysed the concentrations of heavy metals in milk samples from urban and rural areas in Pakistan and observed that samples from urban areas had higher levels of the toxic metals.…”

Climate change, human health, and the exposome: Utilizing OMIC technologies to navigate an era of uncertainty

“…Climate change due to deforestation increased human activity, desertification, wildfires, and traffic leads to the increase of all of these pollutants both indoors and outdoors affecting human health ( 60 ). Additionally, increased temperature due to climate change increases the rate of fungi growth ( 61 ).…”

Discharge of Emerging Contaminant Laden Effluents by Industries in Nigeria - A Review

“…The environment in Nigeria is rapidly degenerating as a result of increased industrialization, use of fuelwood, second-hand vehicle, gas flaring and illegal mining [6]. This review focused on industrial wastewater generation, treatment and disposal by some selected industries in the non-oil sector across Nigeria, with the aim of elucidating the potential hazardous effects of some emerging contaminants associated with such industrial wastewater disposal and making of recommendations for their remediation.…”