As waste production is becoming more widely recognized as a significant issue, particularly in developing nations, rising food consumption and population growth have caused environmental degradation and health crises. Nigeria's waste collection and disposal problems are commonly associated with environmental pollution and health crises. Consequently, throwing garbage on roads during environmental sanitation, is a typical method of waste disposal, leading to large piles of refuse along the roadside, which hinders the nation's beauty. Therefore, for Nigeria's waste management system to be effective, sustainable smart bins with efficient Internet of Things (IoT) applications must be quickly adopted to create a green, clean atmosphere within cities. Smart bins with integrated IoT can provide a sustainable future for cities' waste management. This model seeks to develop a low-cost, intelligent waste bin system with IoT technology. Sensors and data sharing over a Wi-Fi network, allow for remote control of the waste bin, leading to improved optimization of the bin's level of waste. The economic benefits of this IoT-based system include remote access for efficient level control, lower labour costs, improved time and energy efficiency, and reduced congestion in waste bins.

Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationships among some important factors and perceived personal safety in public places, using Nigerian urban shopping centers as case studies. Following the evidence from previous studies, the present study hypothesizes that individual characteristics influence perceived personal safety in shopping centers, and users’ perceived safety is affected by the shopping centers’ environmental attributes. Design/methodology/approach: Two shopping centers were selected as cases for the study. Systematic sampling technique was used to select participants. Respondents were asked to answer closed-ended questions pertaining to environmental-design satisfaction, socio-economic and demographic characteristics and shopping center use. In total, 784 users participated in the survey. However, only 440 users properly completed the interview: 219 from Aleshinloye and 221 from Gbagi. Environmental design, socio-economic and demographic characteristics and shopping center use are independent variables, whereas perceived safety is a dependent variable. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis and Man–Whitney U and Kruskal–Wallis tests. Findings: Results show that fear of crime is the most important factor, explaining 28.16 per cent of the total variance in perceived safety. Nevertheless, findings show that demographic factors have a significant impact on perceived safety as well. There is also a strong association between perceived safety and the use of shopping centers, as Aleshinloye, which is perceived safer, has been more frequently used than Gbagi. Furthermore, environmental design appears as a significant factor for perceived safety in shopping centers, as users of Aleshinloye’s facilities have a better perceived safety from crime, better way-finding ability and more environmental-design satisfaction than users of Gbagi. Practical implications: The study recommends the provisions of design or security precautions that prevent the fear of crime and improve way-finding capacity and environmental-design satisfaction in urban shopping facilities. Specifically, it is important to have environmental security precautions such as closed circuit televisions, good and functional lighting and private security staff, especially for women and the elderly, in urban commercial centers as these precautions could enhance their sense of personal safety. Originality/value: Previous studies on shopping centers’ security have mainly concentrated on the relationship between fear of crime, perceived safety and associated factors. No studies to date have explored how way-finding ability affects perceived safety of users of shopping centers. This study contributes to the existing literature, revealing way-finding anxiety to be another important dimension of perceived safety in urban shopping centers.

This study examines how the COVID-19 emergency has impacted crime across different locations in Nigeria. Data were collected from a sample of residents from across Nigeria and analysed using mean ratings, percentages and chi-square. Based on the residents’ perceptions, certain crime types have decreased (e.g. home break-ins and assaults), some remain unchanged (e.g. stealing and pilfering) and others have increased (e.g. cybercrime and domestic violence). The findings show concentrations of crime in urban centres, states on total lockdown and geographical areas with poor economic indicators. The times that most crimes are perpetrated remain unchanged, except for the night time, where there has been a significant increase. Generally, individual responses to crime remain unchanged, although the use of security guards and special security door locks has changed significantly. Conversely, neighbourhood-level responses have changed significantly, particularly with the use of vigilante groups, police and military patrols as well as restrictions of human and vehicular movement. Although some of the causes of this crime change existed before COVID-19, new crime opportunities are also acknowledged. The findings suggest that Nigerian cities may face a severe battle to recover from crime even after the COVID-19 emergency has passed. Policy and further research implications are discussed.