**Abstract**

The book chapter assesses the recent role and advance of private companies/ contractors in solid waste management in Kano Metropolis, Nigeria, and the various challenges that ensue as a result of their operations. The methods used include: direct field measurement, focus group discussion, inventory, individual interviews, questionnaire administration, and case study of the operation of private companies in two local government areas of Kano state. The result shows that the total number of 50 inventoried registered companies operating under franchise agreement in Kano metropolis are contributing greatly in terms of efficiency and effectiveness of refuse collection, recovery of material, recycling and disposal, creation of employment opportunities, economic development of Kano Metropolis through real capital investment, among others. The discussion in this paper comes to the conclusion that the Nigeria's solid waste management system requires the adoption of suitable collection, reduction, treatment, recovery, and recycling technologies (solid waste hierarchy). Through a variety of currently accessible scientific treatment approaches, it is necessary to underline the relevant consequences for the potential solutions in MSW at the local and state level. Municipalities (L.G.A.), with the help of the unorganized sector and private waste management companies, are therefore required to concentrate on developing potentials and opportunities in order to achieve the necessary MSWM sustainability for Nigerian cities. This can be done by allowing the stakeholders in SWM to extend their coverage beyond the current operational area to include the entire metropolis.

**Keywords:** MSWM, challenges, Nigeria, poor economic growth, solid waste private companies
