A Framework for the Adoption of Waste Banking in Bauchi Metropolis, Nigeria

Abstract

Waste banking is a waste management system that incentivises the exchange of sorted recyclable waste for rewards in cash or kind, offering a promising circular-economy solution.However, its adoption remains largely undocumented in northern Nigeria.This study assesses the factors that influence the adoption of waste banking in Bauchi metropolis and proposes an evidence-based framework to support its implementation.A total of 400 households were surveyed using a structured questionnaire, and the data were analysed using descriptive statistics and binary logistic regression.Results show low awareness of waste banking (41%), despite strong positive perceptions of its environmental benefits (72%) and high willingness to participate in the system (71%).Regression analysis identifies eight significant predictors of adoption: awareness, educational level, environmental concern, income level, perceived monetary benefit, distance to collection centres, institutional trust, and prior knowledge of the informal scavenging system.Perceived monetary benefit emerged as the strongest predictor (OR = 4.67), followed by awareness (OR = 3.37) and environmental concern (OR = 2.59), indicating that both economic incentives and behavioural attitudes are central to household participation.On the contrary, distance to collection points negatively affected adoption, underscoring the need for decentralised, accessible facilities.Drawing on these findings, the study proposes a five-pillar adoption framework emphasising awareness creation, economic incentives, decentralised infrastructure, trust-building, and behavioural reinforcement.The study concludes that waste banking has significant potential to strengthen resource recovery and promote sustainable waste management in the Bauchi metropolis.Effective implementation of the proposed framework can accelerate the city's transition toward a circular and environmentally resilient urban economy.