Assessment of Electronic Waste Handling Practices Among Mobile Phone Retailers in Lagos Island

This study assesses the handling, collection, and disposal practices for electronic waste, particularly end-of-life mobile phones and accessories, among retailers and repair technicians operating on Lagos Island, South West Nigeria. Lagos Island is a major electronics retail and repair hub, and the volume of electronic waste generated at this commercial concentration creates significant environmental management challenges related to toxic material exposure and disposal. A structured questionnaire was administered to 160 mobile phone retailers, repair shops, and spare parts dealers in Computer Village and the surrounding electronics market district. Questions addressed waste phone accumulation, awareness of formal e-waste collection systems, disposal methods, and willingness to participate in producer take-back schemes. Findings show that 78 percent of respondents accumulate obsolete devices, batteries, and broken components on premises without any formalised disposal arrangement. The most common disposal routes are sale to informal scrap dealers (52 percent) or disposal with general trade waste (31 percent). Formal e-waste collection points are known to fewer than 12 percent of respondents. Awareness of the National Environmental Regulations for Electrical and Electronic Sector Wastes is extremely low. Repair technicians report direct skin contact with solvents and circuit board chemicals without protective equipment. The study concludes that environmental management oversight in this sector is almost entirely absent at the retail and repair levels, creating occupational and community exposure risks. Recommendations include a mandatory e-waste take-back register for all licensed electronics retailers and a retailer-targeted regulatory awareness campaign. Keywords: electronic waste, e-waste management, mobile phones, Lagos, retailer practices.