Nigeria is grappling with a mounting e-waste crisis, as discarded electronics from developed countries flood local markets; these imports, often near the end of their lifespan or completely non-functional, are creating a public health and environmental burden. In Kano. One of the country’s largest electronics markets, Sabon Gari, second-hand appliances are sold at a fraction of the cost of new ones, but many break down shortly after purchase, leaving buyers with no recourse.

Broken Appliances, Broken Promises

Marian Shammah. A 34-year-old cleaner in Kano. Paid 50. 000 naira ($36) for a second-hand refrigerator at Sabon Gari Market — Just a month later, the appliance failed, with only the top half working; her savings were wiped out as her food spoiled, and she returned to the market, forced to buy another appliance. Shammah is not alone. Many Nigerians believe that used electronics from America and Europe last longer than new ones sold locally, despite the frequent breakdowns.

According to the United Nations. Around 60,000 tonnes of used electronics enter Nigeria annually through key ports, with at least 15,700 tonnes already damaged upon arrival. A UN tracking study between 2015 and 2016 found that more than 85 percent of used electronics imported into Nigeria originated from Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, China, the United States, and the Republic of Ireland. Many of these imports violate international restrictions, including the Basel Convention, which regulates the movement of hazardous waste to countries with weaker environmental laws.

The Basel Convention’s “E-Waste Africa Programme” estimates that Benin, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Liberia, and Nigeria collectively generate between 650,000 and 1,000,000 tonnes of e-waste annually. Much of this waste comes from short-lifespan second-hand imports, which often fail shortly after being sold and quickly enter the waste stream.

Toxic Exposure and Health Risks

The United Nations defines e-waste as any discarded device that uses a battery or plug and contains hazardous substances like mercury, which can endanger human health and the environment. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), used electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) presents a growing public health and environmental threat across Africa, with Nigeria at the center of the trade.

Rita Idehai, founder of Ecobarter, a Lagos-based environmental NGO, warns that devices imported and sold as affordable second-hand goods often fail shortly after arrival and quickly enter the waste stream. “Much of the equipment shipped as used electronics is close to becoming waste,” she said, highlighting the long-term environmental burden of these imports.

Many imported fridges and air conditioners still contain CFC-based and HCFC-based refrigerants such as R-12 and R-22 – chemicals banned in Europe and the US due to their role in ozone depletion and their links to cancer, miscarriages, neurological disorders, and long-term soil contamination. These gases live for 12 to 100 years, meaning leaking equipment adds to a multi-generational environmental burden.

Informal recyclers in Kano dismantle the electronics with their bare hands, inhaling poisonous fumes and managing heavy metals without protection. Their weekly earnings range from 3,500 to 14,000 naira ($2.50–$10), and the health effects are severe. Many report chronic headaches, skin irritation, breathing issues, and neurological concerns. A recent study by the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found that residents living near e-waste dumps in Kano suffer from a range of ailments consistent with long-term toxic exposure.

Health and Environmental Consequences

Dr Ushakuma Michael Anenga, a gynaecologist at the Benue State Teaching Hospital and second vice president of the Nigerian Medical Association, warned that exposure to heavy metals and refrigerant gases from e-waste causes both short- and long-term health issues, particularly affecting the respiratory and renal systems. “Casual practices like exposed burning and dismantling result in direct, high-level exposure for workers and nearby residents,” he said, adding that children and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to the effects of toxicants.

Recent field assessments by Nigeria’s Federal University Dutse found rising levels of heavy metals in soil and drainage channels around Kano state, where the Sabon Gari Market is located. The health risks extend beyond the informal recyclers and into the broader community, with residents reporting symptoms such as chest pain, headaches, and breathing difficulties.

For small business owners like Salisu Saidu, the consequences of faulty e-waste imports are devastating. He bought a used freezer for his shop, believing it had been serviced, but it failed within weeks, leading to significant financial losses. “I lost a lot of frozen food, which meant I lost money and customers,” he told Al Jazeera, calling for tighter import controls, proper certification, and mandatory warranties to protect buyers from being sold “damaged goods disguised as fairly used”.

Many customers at Sabon Gari Market say foreign-used home equipment appears sturdier and offers better value for money than new imports from the developing world. Umar Hussaini, a vendor at the market, told Al Jazeera that he usually goes for second-hand or foreign-used electronics because brand-new ones are too expensive. “Sometimes you can get them for half the price of new ones, and they look almost the same, so it feels like a good deal at the time,” he said. However, the last refrigerator he bought stopped cooling after just three months, with no warranty or guarantee from the seller.

The influx of e-waste into Nigeria has created a paradox: while second-hand electronics offer a lifeline to many, they also pose significant health and environmental risks. As the market continues to grow, the need for stricter regulations, better enforcement of international agreements, and improved e-waste management systems becomes more urgent. Without intervention, the “truly junk” e-waste problem in Nigeria is set to worsen, with long-lasting consequences for both people and the planet.