Environmental Risk and Public Health Impacts of Solid Waste Dumb sites in Doubeli, Yola North, Adamawa State, Nigeria.

Solid waste management remains a critical challenge in Nigeria, where uncontrolled dumpsites pose severe environmental and public health risks. This study assesses the Doubeli dumpsite in Yola North LGA, Adamawa State, using geospatial mapping, predictive modelling, household surveys, and compliance benchmarking. GIS analysis revealed a 236% expansion between 2005 and 2025, with projections indicating near doubling of its baseline footprint by 2040. Spatial growth has encroached into residential and agricultural zones, obstructed drainage, and degraded vegetation. Household surveys (n=120) reported high prevalence of malaria (52%), cholera/diarrhea (38%), and respiratory infections (44%), particularly among residents within 1 km of the site. Soil and water analyses confirmed leachate infiltration exceeding WHO thresholds, while air quality modelling linked open burning to widespread respiratory morbidity. Compliance assessment demonstrated systemic non-adherence to NESREA and WHO standards, with failures in engineered containment, leachate control, segregation, and safe setback distances. Comparative evidence from Lagos, Ibadan, and Minna indicates that Doubeli’s trajectory reflects a broader national waste governance crisis. The findings highlight urgent needs for engineered sanitary landfills, integrated recycling and waste-to-energy systems, and stronger enforcement of environmental regulations. Without immediate intervention, continued expansion will escalate environmental degradation, disease burden, and socio-economic vulnerabilities, undermining Nigeria’s progress toward Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs 3, 6, 11, and 13).