The scale effect of economic development and freshwater quality in Nigeria: Environmental pollution of the Lower River Niger Basin

Abstract

River Niger is the third-longest river in Africa and the longest river in West Africa. The river basin traverses West and Central African countries, and forms a coastal delta (in southern Nigeria) where it empties into the Atlantic Ocean. The River Niger Basin (RNB) is a crucial asset to development of the West and Central Africa subregions. The RNB ecosystem is currently under heavy degradation of its components due to mutually reinforcing unsustainable socioeconomic development and unregulated urbanization. However, there are limited studies on the pollution of the Lower RNB because of inadequate funding and infrastructure deficit, and existing studies are mainly on the stream tributaries. This paper reviews, for the first time, relevant studies on the Lower RNB and examines the current extent of knowledge regarding the environmental aquatic pollution. We discuss the relevant studies and provide information necessary for management of the basin area.

Keywords:

• oil spill
• River Niger
• Niger Delta
• sustainability
• aquatic pollution
• environmental degradation

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

ORCID

Dymphna Javier http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1384-0004