Assessment of Residents’ Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices towards Sustainable Solid Waste Management in Maiduguri Metropolis, Borno State, Nigeria
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.68050/JAMS.2026.647Keywords:
solid waste management; knowledge; attitude; practice; waste disposal; environmental behavior; Maiduguri; NigeriaAbstract
Poor solid waste management remains a concern in many urban communities, with implications for environmental quality and public health. This study examined residents’ knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) regarding solid waste management in the Maiduguri Metropolitan Centre, Borno State, Nigeria, focusing on the Mashidmami, Dala and Shuwari communities. A descriptive cross-sectional survey with a correlational component was used. Data were collected from 31 respondents using a structured questionnaire with a five-point response scale. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation. The mean scores were 3.05 ± 0.40 for knowledge, 2.98 ± 0.33 for attitude and 2.98 ± 0.43 for practice, while the combined KAP score was 3.00 ± 0.32. Knowledge showed a significant positive relationship with attitude (r = 0.59, p < 0.001) and practice (r = 0.44, p = 0.013), while attitude was also positively related to practice (r = 0.54, p = 0.002). Across age groups, respondents aged 18–25 years recorded the highest combined KAP mean (3.20), while those aged 46–55 years recorded the lowest (2.68). These age differences should be interpreted cautiously because of the small and uneven number of respondents in some groups. The findings suggest that better knowledge was associated with more favourable attitudes and reported waste-management practices among respondents. However, the cross-sectional design does not establish a causal relationship between the KAP domains. The study highlights the need for practical, community-based approaches to improve waste-management behaviour in the selected communities of the Maiduguri Metropolitan Centre.
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