More than ever before, environmental preservation has been a critical issue for the survival of the world’s habitat. An attempt to explore global trends in environmental monitoring using numerous ways based on different techniques is an exercise in the right direction. This is expedient, given the recent overwhelming growing rate of environmental pollution of advertisement graphical bills worldwide. Posting of advertisement graphical bills constitutes one of the biggest threats to man and his environment as it now appears and as we live in an age of growing sensitivity to environmental cleanliness. Pollution of the Nigerian cities through advertisement bills assumes the general term of outdoor advertising ranging from hand-printed signs, posters, painted bulletins and spectaculars. However this paper discusses the trends of posting graphic advertisement bills in Nigerian cities. Its impact on aesthetics, as well as the pollution problems associated with the urban development. The study areas are Abuja, Akure, Ibadan and Lagos. In order to ensure that each unit of the population is represented, random sampling technique was used to get the necessary information from the samples. The findings emphasize the importance of strict control and market regulations in posting of advertisement bill in built environment and eradication of pollution of the environment.
The Nigerian built environment has been abused at the expense of technological, political and industrial advances which were considered the ideal and much more described than ecological factors. This philosophy, along with the effect of over population has resulted in the ability of some cities in Nigeria to support life. More polluted air caused by environmental placement of bills at random is being breathed. Even water, both domestic and industrial is being consumed. The mission of environmental health scientist in Nigeria is to perform and promote research to develop the knowledge base needed for preventive programmes for environmental cleanliness especially for posting of advertisement bills in built environment which is a means of great pollutions.
Advertisement is a spinning industry in Nigeria that forms part of everyday culture, often adding colour to the streets, a good indicator of business and valuable source of information viewed by many as a form of entertainment and information. Advertisement can be defined as a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services are executed by the use of posters, bills, billboard, and handbills among others, all are graphic design products [
Graphic advertisement pollution or outdoor advertisement pollutions are everywhere in Nigerian, even some unpatriotic and selfish Nigerians are suspected to be part of the dumping of toxic wastes in Nigerian built environment and posting of bills, dropping of refuse indiscriminately. This is a confirmation that many Nigerian are nonchalant about environmental cleanliness.
Posting of advertisement bills in built environment is an issue that has negative effects on the life of every member of the community with the consequential effects on the citizenry and Nigerian society at large. The built environment can affect an individual positively or negatively, depending on its friendliness or harshness. The insanitary condition of the Nigerian environment and its possible consequences and squealed environment no doubt, is a breeding place for all vectors of diseases that poses danger to the contemporary society like Nigeria [
However, this study focuses on the interaction between man and the potentially toxic or harmful agents of graphics which are bill pollution in his environment. It concentrates on recognizing, identifying and investigating environmental factors that may have deleterious effects and an understanding that mechanisms of action of bill pollution agents have in Nigerian biological environment.
In this study graphic design is seen as the methodology of visual communication, and problem-solving through the use of type, space and images. The field is considered as subset of visual communication and communication design in advertisement of products which make use of bill boards, handbills as well as posters in communication media. Bills are generally a term of outdoor advertising which is an infinite variety, ranging from hand-painted sign gracing a roadside vegetable stand to elaborate displays in ‘Time square’ [
On the other hand, with the introduction of new communication technologies, the fragmentation and incentive nature of advertising methods are improved, reducing clutter. For example, with the increase of technology device usage, more money is invested in advertising on social media, billboards, posters and handbills. Vandalism, in the form of graffiti, is defined as street markings, offensive and inappropriate messages made without the owner’s consent. Graffiti adds to visual clutter in neighbourhoods as it makes a disturbance of view, and the writing is often a bad influence to those of younger age groups. Billboards are other examples of excessive advertising. This form of visual pollution has been alleged as a distraction for drivers, corrupting public taste, boosting the infinite need of consumption and cluttering the land [
Built Environment generally, is made up of structures such as: market stalls, shopping malls, hospitals, schools, religious buildings: and infrastructure: roads, dam’s parts among others. All these, according to Falade [
Nigerian built environment takes after these qualifications, the impact and effects of posting bills in Nigerian built environment is measured in terms of planning, good architecture, cleanliness, street graphics and art. The effect of posting bills on our social environment is impossible to be ignored because posters of all sizes, shapes and kinds were employed to bring to public awareness the merit and the very existence of many products and services. Before long almost every wall is full of posters, this was known as “Bill Sticking”. One of the criteria for sticking a bill is finding a good location where it could be seen and this creates defacing of public building. The unfavourable characteristic of posting bills in the environment is the quality that medium lends to the message. The association, in fact, may be a negative one among those people who feel that outdoor advertising clutters and obliterates the natural beauty of the environment [
In the study conducted by Ogunduyile [
The posting of bills in Nigerian built environment came into existence as a result of the advent of graphic signs in 1390s when merchants were required to label their premises, wares and products with signs and identifications. As a result, the use of signs gained a wider currency in the 16th century as it was defined as any writing, including letter, pictorial representative, illustrations and decoration, banners, flags or any other figure of similar characteristic. The significance of posting bills came into existence in England in 16thcentury. Stewart [
The various studies and experimentation that greeted the industrial revolution of this period brought about the emergence of various mechanical devices to mass produce items formerly made by hand. The moveable type of printing machines which introduced dynamic use of colour fonts and graphic design signs were invented. This gave additional impetus to handbill placements. In the 19th century, other printing techniques, such as screen, lithographic printings add impetus to printing. As a result, the aroused scramble for bill posting spaces thus degenerated to a point that street walls, fence and available spaces were pasted with posters and handbills [
Advertisement in Nigeria followed after the pattern of Europe and urban growth in Nigeria took place before the arrival of infrastructural characteristics of industrial cities. Cities like Kano, Jos, Kaduna, Lagos, Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Abuja to mention a few had developed dual urban structures with poorly developed built environment and others with beautiful environmental aesthetics were destroyed with the posting graphical bills indiscriminately. The whole aesthetics of the built environment of these cities were completely destroyed. In 1920s, the first billboard and posters were put in place by West African Publicity Company, United African Company and later Afro media. This advertising company began to profane the use of billboards for highway advertisements. Posting of advertisement bills in banking hall, stadium and all available spaces emerged. Also, after the independence, petty traders eventually grasped the importance of bills and posters which they used to boost their trade. In 1990s, many workers embraced petty trading so as to improve their revenue and as a result, shops and super markets increased on Nigerian streets. Posting of bills were then abused and this led to environmental pollution in the country.
The constantly growing need for advertising products especially outdoors, both for commercial and non-commercial purposes was a surge in new trends and innovations in the different forms of outdoor advertisement to carry out the requirements and targets of practitioners and clients. Constant advertisement of products led to a near-saturation of public places in built environment with posters, billboards, banners, with screaming logos, colours messages and political propaganda to the teeming citizens, not only is these different advertisements media effective in delivering intended messages; they are also sources of growing pollution in the environment. The current trend of posting advertisement bills outdoor in built environment is a major contributor to solid waste and visual pollutions in Nigerian built environments [
Nigeria’s current population stands at 170.1 million and is projected to increase to 234.4 million by mid-2025 and to 402.4 million by mid-2050 [
Advertisement bills are produced in different medium including paper, vinyl, metal sheets and other synthetic materials. They are usually pasted on walls shop doors and glasses, public amenities and even on trees in some cases, they are also given out to the public in the case of flyers, pamphlets, or mounted on different types of structures in varying sizes and shapes, including booths, kiosk, pylons, poles and gantries, buses, taxis and trains are polluted indiscriminately with posting of bills and posters in Nigerian built environment.
Plates 1-3. Indiscriminate posting of bills on Government Properties, Electricity Poles, Bridges and Bus stop in Lagos State Nigeria, Akure and Abuja Nigeria (Authors Collection, 2016).
Plate 1. Posters on public bus stop at Akure. Source: Authors collection 2016.
Plate 2. Bills and posters on Electricity Pole. Lagos. Nig, Source: Authors collection 2016.
Plate 3. Bills and posters on Bridge Abuja Nigeria. Source: Authors collection 2016.
Political and social trends in Nigeria caused pollution of the built environment, through posting of advertisement bills indiscriminately. Nigerian politics has become a big consumer of outdoor advertisement bills. Also religious activities have been on a very high increase. Most of the streets in Nigerian cities are constantly being riddled with colourful and glossy posters, flyers, pamphlets of political candidates, religious programmes, social events and meetings. All of these contribute to the environmental pollution of Nigerian built environments. The easiest method for political candidates to get themselves known is to put up posters and advertisement bills featuring their faces and these graphics materials are pasted on all available spaces. Example is Plates 1-3. The whole country especially the political parties, politicians and their campaigners are frantically preparing to pollute the environment, in frenzy, the whole landscape both in the rural and urban cities with bills from the sizes of tiny bits of paper to giant bills that stretch from some roof tops down to their basements. Posting of political bills are mostly done by touts and party supporters. As a result, most of the victims whose walls and sign posts have been defaced are afraid to protest for fear of molestation [
This section deals with the methodology used in the research work. It describes the various processes, procedures, methods and instrumentals by which data are specified and defined, collected and analysed
The areas selected for the study are Abuja, Akure, Ibadan and Lagos. The cities were selected because they are State Capitals and major commercial centres in Nigeria, where the target population could be located. Also many of the country’s largest banks financial institutions, industries, wide range of manufactured goods including machinery, motor vehicles, electronic equipment, chemicals textile goods are produced in these cities. Media houses are located in these cities and largest advertisements of products are made both in electronic media, billboards, posters and stadia boards. Posting of graphic design bills indiscriminately is common in these cities.
In this study, data were collected by means of the structured questionnaire technique. One thousand questionnaires (1000) were randomly distributed at Lagos, Abuja, Ibadan and Akure. The questionnaire was divided into four equal numbers 250 per cities.
Appropriate methods of data analysis were very necessary to be able to accurately process the data collected from field survey, and data analysis, where necessary, as a result descriptive analysis was used to facilitate the ease communicating of the results while, at the same time ensure validity. Based on this assertion, frequency and percentage distribution were used to analyse the background information of the respondents and issues raised in the questionnaire.
The population from which data for this study was collected comprises of male and female respondents.
From
Source: Research work 2016.
In
Source: Research work 2016.
From the result of this study, it is clearly stated and agreed and strongly agreed by the respondents that failure of local governments, are attributed to bills pollution in Nigerian built environment according to
Source: Research work 2016.
regulate advertising practices in the country. These bodies include: Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN), Advertising Practitioner Council of Nigeria (APCON) and Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN). These agencies have formed a monitoring group called the Advertising Standards Panel, (ASP) whose duty is to monitor the posting of graphical bills indiscriminately. There is nothing to indicate that they are really monitoring the practice of bill posting in Nigerian built environments.
There are several types of environmental pollution and they are from different sources and have different effects and consequences on human health. Pollution can be said to be contamination of the built environment as a result of human activities. The term pollution refers primarily to the fouling of air, water and land by wastes. These sources of pollution simply have a negative impact on the natural world, but they can have a measurable effect on the health of human beings as well. In recent years it has come to signify a wider range of disruptions to environmental quality. Outdoor advertisements now contribute a great deal to pollution in Nigerian built environments mainly as solid wastes and usual pollution [
It is a common practice in Nigerian built environment to see advertisement bills posted and mounted at any given place just to catch the attention of the public even in spite of some measures of control in these urban areas. Examples are Plate 4 and Plate 5. These advertisement bills are meant for outdoors they have resulting impact and effects on the environment. For instance solid wastes are generated from the materials used in producing these bills, and in built environments, where it is not common to find public spaces cluttered with bills, there is visual pollution. Visual pollution is the form given to unattractive and man-made visual elements of vista, landscape, or any other thing that a person does not feel comfortable looking at. Visual pollution is an aesthetic issue, reflecting to the impacts effect, of bills pollutions that impair one’s ability to enjoy a vista or view with undesirable, unattractive views. These may lower the quality of life in certain areas, or it could impact property values and enjoyment. Apart from environmental effects bill posting indiscriminately causes psychological depression and exhaustion and could lead to other health complications. Also, it causes visual pollution which is an aesthetic issue that refers to the impacts of pollution that impair one’s ability to enjoy a vista or view. Visual pollution disturbs the visual areas of people by creating negative changes in the natural environment. Billboards, open storage of trash, space debris, telephone towers, electric wires, buildings and automobiles are forms of visual pollution. An overcrowding of an area causes visual pollution. Visual pollution is defined as the whole of irregular formations, which are mostly found in natural and built environment. The greatest effects of exposure to visual pollution include: distraction, eye fatigue, decreases in opinion diversity, and loss of identity.
Source: Research work 2016.
Plate 4. A defaced building with bills. Source: Authors collection 2016.
Plate 5. A defaced building and Container with bills. Source: Authors collection 2016.
disagreed to this point while in Akure, 40.0% agreed and 20.0% disagreed, in Abuja, 22.0% strongly agree, 18.0% agreed and 12.0% strongly disagreed to this point and in Ibadan 30.0% of the respondent agreed and 62.0% disagreed. The inference from this result was that posting of bills, billboards, posters; handbills have negative effect on humans’ health environmental values, well-being, and personal health care interdependent. The World Health Organization (WHO) definition of health addresses this interdependence. As the representation of a balanced relationship of the body and mind and complete adjustment to the
Plate 6. Lasaa bill boards laws. Source: Authors collection 2016.
external environment
Moreover, WHO defines environmental health as comprising those aspects of human health including qualities of life that are determined by chemical, physical, biological, social and psychosocial factors in the environment. It also refers to the theory and practice of assessing, correcting and preventing those factors in the environment that can potentially affect adversely the health of present and future generations. This definition articulates the desire to include elements of quality of life, and psychosocial and sustainable development issues within the sphere of environmental health which are destroy by environmental pollution of graphics bill. Actually good health and well-being require a clean and harmonious environment in which physical, psychological, social and aesthetic factors are all given their due importance [
Over the years, various decrees have been promulgated by the Nigerian government to set up regulatory bodies to regulate posting of bills in the country because they found it to be of importance to prevent clutter, adequacy control of bills involving illumination and to protect features such as listed building and conservation areas from the potential adverse effects of advertisements. For example, a well-designed and sensitively sited advertisement, where thought has been given to sizes of billboard, colours, sitting and levels of illumination can contribute positively to the visual qualities and environmental harmony of an area. Large number of advertisement bills on a building or along a road can create clutter and be disruptive to the appearance and character of an area. The Nigerian government observed these and promulgated laws to regulate posting of bills in built environment, the law did not work because those in charge did not carry out their work effectively [
The beauty and pride of a country is measured in terms of planning good architecture, cleanliness, street graphics, arts and regulating service. These have effects on mass communication and social environment. As a result, Nigerian built environment needs regulatory agencies that will enforce advertisement laws and codes especially within the unplanned terrain of Nigerian urban areas. Lagos state has pioneered this by establishing the Lagos State Advertisement and Signage Agency (LASAA). This regulatory agency has helped to bring the outdoor landscape in Lagos to an enviable status. For instance, permission and approval must be obtained before pasting advertisement bills, flyers, pamphlets and hand-outs. Arrangements and payment are made for eventual clean-up within the specific coverage areas of their built environment. Ondo, Osun, Ekiti and Oyo state created similar agencies to check the menace of indiscriminate use of the outdoor spaces. Kano state of Nigeria also hired firm, named Chris Parkes Marketing Services (CPMS) to manage the state’s Urban Planning and Development Authority (UPDA) and out spaces. These agencies bring sanity into these cities’ built environment.
Also the Sao Paulo, Brazil, the seventh largest city in the world introduced an outright ban on all outdoor advertisement bills and strict control of designated areas for advertisement placements. Lagos, Nigeria, one of the Africa’s largest city introduced strict outdoor advertisement laws and it was carried out successfully. In September 2006, according to New York City Global Partners [
In 2006, Lagos State House of Assembly passed the State structure for signage and Advertisement Agency Law empowering the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) as the State’s outdoor regulating and advertisement control body. Plate 6 (Lassa Bill Board, 2016). The body is to regulate all outdoor bills in the state and also acquire outdoor spaces across the state and advertisement panels, on the BRT system buses and taxi cabs. These spaces are used for commercial and public announcements. All illegal advert bills would be removed and there is a regular clean-up of wastes from building walls, streets, and poles and other public utilities [
All advertising agencies were compelled to register before erecting and posting bills in the built environment. Lot of the old fashioned ordinary billboards are being removed and replaced with modern technology advertisement outdoor boards. The agency law has transformed the Lagos built environment. An Outdoor Mast Plan was introduced through which outdoor advertisement bills would be used to transform the Lagos State built environment, certain areas are illuminated beyond, using only street lights at night. There is an increasing preference for digital outdoor advertisement bright LED billboards are gradually setting the tone of outdoor advertisement in Lagos, Nigeria [
The study revealed that Posting of graphical design bills destroy environmental aesthetics and that the environment is constituted by some simply organics which are being destroyed by the indiscriminate posting of graphical design bills and these have effects on Nigerian built environment. Advances in technology have created environmental pollution. From the study 64% of the respondents from Lagos agree that advances in Science & Technology created environmental pollution of graphic bills while 55% from Akure of the same opinion. While 64%of the respondents from Lagos 44% from Akure 45% While Abuja and Ibadan43% of the respondents strongly agreed to this point it is necessary to have master plans for Nigerian cities to the extent that creation of space for bills will be considered. So also it is clearly stated and agreed and strongly agreed by the respondents that failure of local governments are attributed to bills pollution in Nigerian built environment according to the table, 70% of the respondents from Lagos agreed vividly to this point and Akure 44.4% while Abuja 56.8% and 43.6% of the respondents from Ibadan strongly agree that the environmental pollution of bills in built environment is caused by ineffective regulatory agencies. The results of this study will be useful for the re-planning of Nigerian environment.
The study has shown that the evolving forms of outdoor advertisement bills are contributing largely to urban pollution. However the unfortunate aspect of the matter in Nigerian built environment is the unpleasant and hazardous conditions to which built environmental advertisement bills are subjected through environmental pollution of advertisement bills, Nigerian street is subjected to an uncared for which is filled with different types of advertisement bills posted indiscriminately at every angle of the city. This study re-emphasizes the high importance of care for Nigerian built environment and considered the importance of the deductions, and that outdoor advertisement which is the major aspect of advertising that makes use of posting of bills in the environment should be effectively regulated and controlled for the benefit of people’s health and built environment cleanness. The need to protect and manage our built environment is a major concern of most nations of the world. This is manifested in the numerous legislative measures they put in place to safeguard the environment, such as creation of effective laws and semi-autonomous bodies to take care of the built environment. Environmental pollution constitutes the biggest threat to man and his economy as it now appears and as we live in an age of growing sensitivity to environmental cleanliness. Pollution of the environment is due to the activities of man. Based on the aforementioned a clean environment can only be achieved by man’s effort to stop polluting his environment e.g. man needs to recognise the forms, structures, identity, and care for the built environment, and attempt to understand the nature of his environment.
For Nigerian built environment to be like Sao Paulo, Brazil. Built Environment codes and conduct should be promulgated into law and it should be followed up by the agencies concerned.
In the cities built environment, regulatory agencies must create free spaces for public notices and information to curb the indiscriminate defacing of public utilities by unregistered advertisers.
There should be check and balance system of regulation to prevent monopolization of outdoor spaces by big advertisers and multinationals.
Other Nigerian states should follow the example of Lagos State and regulate the outdoor advertisement to drastically reduce pollution of the environment
The authors wish to thank Bumi Adeleke for the computation of the research work and the entire search assistants who travelled to the four cities targeted for this research work. We would like to appreciate the staff of Ministry Of Environment Lagos, Akure and Abuja for their contributions towards the completion of this research.
Oladumiye, E.B., Ogunlade, B.A. and Omole, F.K. (2017) Posting of Graphical Bills: An Analytical Perception of Environmental Pollutions in Nigerian Cities. Journal of Environmental Protection, 8, 1100-1118. https://doi.org/10.4236/jep.2017.810070