City growth without environmental checks endangers Nigerians — Fidelis Adigwe

Soil composition factors: a cause for road cutting.

As cities rapidly expand across Nigeria, geologist and water expert Fidelis Adigwe has sounded the alarm about soil composition factors affecting building projects, roads, and poor waste disposal. He is urging the government to enforce proper environmental checks and soil tests before approving any major development.

“Our cities are growing without proper planning. No one tests the soil, plans for water drainage, or considers future environmental problems,” Adigwe stated. “We are creating health and building safety issues that will hurt us in the long run.”

During his time working as an environmental geologist in Abuja from 2015 to 2019, Adigwe tested soil and water pollution levels in fast-growing areas. He discovered that many building sites, including housing estates and business centres, were being developed on land lacking binding materials, dispersive soils containing sodium that break apart when wet, or poorly managed dumpsites.

“When soil is polluted, it affects everything—farming, drinking water, and even the safety of our buildings,” he explained. “You might not notice the problems now, but in a few years, our structures will begin to develop defects, and people will start falling ill.”

In one project, he collected soil and water samples from a housing estate built on former industrial land. “We found dangerous levels of lead in the soil, yet families were living there and raising children,” he said.

Adigwe warned that ignoring environmental tests now will be far costlier than taking preventive measures from the outset.

“Every developer should be required to submit environmental reports signed by qualified experts. This is about protecting people and the environment,” he said.

He suggested that the Federal Ministry of Environment should work closely with town planning offices to ensure that soil tests, groundwater assessments, and waste management plans are mandatory before granting building approvals.

Beyond implementing regulations, Adigwe emphasised the importance of public awareness. “Many Nigerians do not realise that the soil beneath their homes could be poisoning their water or food crops. We need to communicate these dangers in simple terms,” he said.

He cited research he conducted in Edo State, where soil samples revealed harmful levels of heavy metals such as cadmium (Cd) and arsenic (As) in farming areas near unregulated dumpsites. “People were growing vegetables in contaminated soil and consuming them. It is a serious health risk that is not being adequately discussed, with potential consequences such as hypertension and renal tubular dysfunction,” he warned.

To address this issue, Adigwe is developing a free online guide for homeowners and local builders, providing simple instructions on how to test soil and avoid constructing on contaminated land.

He also called on state governments to invest in testing equipment and provide training for local officials. “We do not need foreigners to tell us our soil is contaminated. We have our own experts. What we lack is government commitment,” he said.

Adigwe urged the federal and state governments to incorporate green spaces into regional urban planning to reduce the strain on already damaged environments. “We are not saying stop building—just build wisely, using science as your guide and incorporating modern designs,” he added.

He concluded by reminding government officials that environmental damage is often irreversible. “Once land is poisoned, it remains poisoned for generations. Preventing the problem is always cheaper than attempting to clean it up later,” he said.