Sustainable wastewater management: An imperative for urban development in Lagos, Nigeria

The disproportionate populace progression in Lagos, Nigeria, and industrial undertakings have augmented the region's quantity and quality of waste. The magnitude of waste has initiated a disparaging alteration in the ecosystem of Lagos. Combining the population and volume of industrial waste has overwhelmed the city's existing wastewater management system (WWMS). This study offers an exploratory review of contemporary scholarship, which has reconnoitered sustainable WWMS as a conduit for significant interventions. The qualitative data was extracted from secondary and primary sources. Key informant interviews were conducted with the Lagos State Wastewater Management Office officials. A non‐participant observation approach was used to retrieve the Ogba Industrial Estate data in Ikeja. A plastic manufacturing plant in Amowo Odofin and familial residences in Bariga and Surulere served as empirical observation sites. The analysis embraced a sustainability framework, countenancing the construction of a holistic approach inclusive of environmental, political, economic, and social culpability. While the study established associated legal statutes, lawful compliance with WWMS was deficient. Verification includes frustration with multiple taxations, unpredictable government guidelines and scarce land. Derisory prioritization on environmental impact, scant infrastructure and inadequate technical knowledge are rationalizations for non‐compliance with WWMS in Lagos. The study has identified the urgent need for practical, sustainable WWMS to meet an explosive urban population's needs. The realization of cost‐effective WWMS promises to deliver social and environmental benefits while augmenting socio‐economic and health prospects in Lagos.