Research Fellowship 2011

Since 1988 the Nigerian Government has introduced environmental legislations aimed at managing air pollution from different sources, with particular emphasis on mitigating pollution from the oil and gas industry. However, various studies indicate significant ambient air pollution from other sources due to vehicular traffic growth in urban areas, increased reliance on petrol and diesel fuelled generators for electricity supply in homes and other public facilities, uncontrolled open incineration of waste and major thermal power stations within the city limits. Currently, there are no coordinated or continuous assessments to inform an appropriate policy framework for managing air pollution routinely experienced by residents of cities such as Lagos, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Kano and other major cities in the country. The public health risk of long-term exposure to air pollutants in Nigeria underlies the urgent need for a more integrated and robust management regime for reducing pollutant concentrations, especially in densely populated cities and urban areas.

This fellowship aims to provide robust empirical basis, conceptual pathways and timelines for developing a health-effects-based air quality management framework in Nigeria. The research seeks to provide new insights and extend current knowledge about (i) opportunities, barriers and challenges of managing air pollution in Nigeria and (ii) institutional and policy framework that can be implemented within limited technical, legislative and economical context of a developing country such as Nigeria.

The research will use a combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, including a systematic literature review, interviews with key stakeholders and case studies to investigate the key research questions. The study will draw on previous and existing studies at the Air Quality Management Resource Centre (AQMRC), along with other external academic collaborations with national and international experts in this field. The study will also seek to inform formulation national policy through bottom-up and top-down dialogues involving key stakeholders within academic and government institutions in Nigeria.