By Faith Ajiboye, Mistura Yusuf and Jimoh Amudalat
The Chairman of Apapa-Iganmu Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Jimoh Olawale Saliu, has raised concern over the growing threat of plastic pollution, describing it as one of the most urgent environmental crises confronting the world.
Speaking at the launch of the council’s plastic buy-back initiative, Saliu said millions of tons of plastic waste end up in oceans and landfills yearly, taking centuries to decompose.
He said the new programme was designed to encourage a circular economy where plastic waste is treated as a valuable resource.
“Millions of tons of plastic waste find their way into oceans and landfills every year, taking hundreds of years to decompose. As responsible citizens, we must act decisively. This initiative creates a circular economy where plastic becomes a resource rather than waste,” he said.
Saliu urged residents to take advantage of the buy-back scheme, which allows community members to exchange collected plastic waste for cash rewards and other incentives.
He noted that the initiative would not only improve the environment but also support economic empowerment.
“By participating, you can transform waste into wealth. This programme provides opportunities for our youths and families while keeping our environment clean,” he added.
As part of the day’s activities, the LCDA also held a rally against drug abuse and crime, sensitising young people on the dangers of harmful behaviour and encouraging them to embrace productive ventures such as recycling.
Head of Sustainability for Seven-Up Bottling Company, Lovelyn Okoye, described the event as a meaningful stakeholder engagement, adding that the company remained committed to contributing positively to its host communities.
“As part of our Sustainability Week, we introduced ‘P for P’ — Plastic Waste for Products. We encourage residents to gather plastic waste and exchange it for Seven-Up products. Our goal is to create value around plastic waste and build communities that see plastic not as waste but as a resource,” she said.
She reiterated the company’’s commitment to long-term collaboration, stressing that a healthy community helps the company thrive.
Iyalode of the Ojora Kingdom, Silifat Awero, lauded the council and Seven-Up bottling company for the initiative.
She noted that plastic pollution had long posed health and environmental risks, making the initiative timely and impactful.
Though a global crisis, communities across Nigeria are rising to the existential threat of plastic pollution. From door-to-door plastic collection programmes to innovative community-led clean-ups and recycling centres, as well as strategic partnerships with businesses, governments and Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs), grassroots efforts are yielding fruit. CHIKODI OKEREOCHA, JULIANA AGBO, TOBA ADEDEJI and ONIMISI ALAO examine how communities, entrepreneurs and environmental advocates are combating the menace of plastic pollution, transforming it into a tool for empowerment and job creation.
Doubeli is a community around central Jimeta in Yola North Local Government Area (LGA) of Adamawa State, Northeast Nigeria. Doubeli is known for its famous divisional police headquarters and exit point from an equally famous bridge which, crossing the River Benue at that axis, admits travellers into Yola, the state capital, from the northern part of the state.
Contrastingly, Doubeli also has an infamous feature: a notoriously huge garbage dump which tells an ugly story of environmental untidiness. While the dump remains in place at least, as at last weekend, much of the waste, particularly its plastic elements, was gone.
The Nation learnt that it took the intervention of the Yola Renewal Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) that has, for many years, been leading the charge for a cleaner Yola, to change the story of the dump that has blighted the Doubeli Community and its environs.
Narrating how the change in the dump began, the Foundation’s Programme and Partnership Lead, Mr. Jimmy Lot said: “When we carried out a research, we noticed that the eyesore you always notice along the Doubeli section of the Jimeta By-pass, the extensive waste dump, has a linkage with the River Benue at the Jimeta axis. When it rains, flood carries the waste, including the plastic materials, into the river.”
But it wasn’t just the eyesore that the monstrous waste dump became that roused the Foundation into taking immediate and sustained action to remedy the situation. The health hazard it posed was also particularly unacceptable to the Foundation.
Lot explained it thus: “Over time, the plastic degrades and fish feed on it. When the fish eats, it doesn’t digest in their system. The fish eventually ends up in the market, and people buy and eat it. This makes us prone to cancer.” He described the situation as “particularly far-reaching because the River Benue is a long river.”
Lot did not stop there. “When we throw out or let our plastic waste get into the river, we are harming not only ourselves but also people a long way off in communities along the river,” he added, noting that this was why the notorious Doubeli garbage dump was tamed and four other communities similarly saved.
He said after research uncovered that Yola is a huge contributor of plastic waste, particularly in Doubeli, Borongi, Rumde, Angwan Tana, and Jambutu communities, the Foundation picked those five communities and concentrated efforts in removing the waste.
But in doing so, the NGO literally killed two beds with a stone. Its plastic waste disposal campaign turned into a tool for wealth creation. “We engaged youths we called Eco-champions who were stationed in those communities. Their responsibility was collecting plastic waste from households,” Lot said.
According to him, the Foundation began paying N30 per kilogram (kg) of plastic waste to the Eco-champions and raised it gradually to N100. He pointed out that between 2021 and 2023, the project collected more than 350 tons of plastic waste, inclusive of sachet polythene bags.
Lot further revealed that the project, which empowered thousands of youths, became a strong justification for the building of a plastic recycling hub by the Foundation in Sangere, Numan Road, Yola.
The recycling hub, inaugurated in 2023, was designed to convert plastic waste into flex and pellets by collecting plastics, sorting them into different colours and qualities, shredding them, and transporting them to plastic manufacturers, mostly in Abuja and Lagos.
The hub came three years after the Foundation had been collecting waste and needed a facility to process it for further use.
However, Doubeli Community in Yola is not the only community in Nigeria that now boasts a trash-to-wealth story, galvanised by the fight against plastic pollution. In Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Chanja Datti is the home of waste recycling and a leader in the green revolution.
Checks by The Nation reveal that Chanja Datti has leveraged community-led initiatives and partnerships to change the narrative in the plastic waste space.
For instance, partnering with United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), GIZ, Transcorp, Coca-Cola and other private entities, Chanja Datti focuses on the collection of recyclables such as Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) plastics, aluminium cans, papers and old newspapers, cardboard, cartons, tires and glass bottles.
These recyclables are transferred as raw materials in flakes/baled form to manufacturers or Chanja Datti’s clients for complete recycling into other finished products. Similar to the Yola Renewal Foundation’s waste-to-wealth template, Chanja Datti offers competitive prices for its collection and disposal services.
Residents earn points based on the volume of recyclables they contribute, redeemable for household items or cash. For many low-income families, this has been a lifeline.
“I used to throw everything away; now, we keep our plastics for the Chanja Datti. The money we earn helps with school supplies, Hauwa Musa, a mother of three, said.
Students, youths in Osun dig in
In Osun State, Southwest Nigeria, students and youths on campuses across the state are also at the forefront of turning waste, especially plastic waste, into a fortune. This, The Nation gathered, was a sequel to the commencement of advocacy by the Osun State Government, through the Ministry of Environment and Renewable Energy, to campuses in the state to educate students on plastic waste.
Khadijat, a student of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, said students normally dispose of plastic indiscriminately until last year when the advocacy began.
According to her, we used to dump the plastic alongside other waste, but I think a government official came to our campus last year and spoke with student union leaders and the school management. They later gave them a place where we dump our plastic waste and collect money.
A student of Osun State Polytechnic, who identified herself as Fisayo, also said: “Since they created a special dump site for plastic waste, we always compete among ourselves to gather used plastic both in school and outside the school. We are given money according to the weight of what we gather. The money we get from this is used to cater for our personal needs.”
Oluwashina Odebode, another youth, who just concluded the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), said that about two months ago, she attended a climate change programme organised by the Osun State Government, which was held in Ede. She said it was from the programme that she picked personal interest in having her own dump, which she began last month at Agunbelewo, Osogbo.
While students and youth in the state appear to have struck gold, literally, by gathering used plastic waste for cash, the Osun State Government said it has concluded plans to build the largest plastic waste recycling plant to tackle pollution in the state.
The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Renewable Energy, Ministry of Environment, Funmiso Babarinde, explained that the state has been deliberate about pollution in the past two years, and has, through the Office of Climate Change, Renewable Energy and Circular Economy, been educating the people that “no waste is a waste until you waste it.”
Babarinde’s words: “Everything we use now can be recycled for another product. We now have vehicles across the state that pick up plastic and other waste to our major dump sites in Osogbo, Iwo, Ife and Ilesa, among other small dump sites scattered across the state. We have stepped up collection process of these wastes individually and collectively.”
The foregoing tales of local partnerships—with businesses, governments and environmental organisations to battle the scourge of plastic pollution—mirror the situation across the country where community-led efforts to reduce plastic waste, promote recycling and encourage sustainable practices have taken centre stage in a bid to combat the existential threat posed by plastic pollution.
An escalating global crisis of unimaginable scale, about 23 million tons of plastic waste leak into aquatic ecosystems annually, contaminating lakes, rivers and seas, according to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). This pollution disrupts natural habitats, accelerates climate change and undermines sustainable development.
As if this is not scary enough, global plastic consumption is projected to reach 516 million tons this year, with fears that if current consumption patterns continue, it will rise to over 1.2 billion tons annually by 2060.
Although plastics have benefits, including energy savings and resource conservation, the snag is that the rising plastic pollution poses a significant threat to the planet and health. For instance, across the globe, plastic pollution is contaminating water supplies, food sources and the air people breathe.
The thing is that as plastics break down, they enter the food chain. Micro-plastics have been detected in human arteries, lungs, brains and breast milk.
According to experts, environmental factors contribute to the deaths of about 13 million people worldwide yearly. Almost half of these fatalities are attributed to air pollution, with the health and economic costs of unhealthy air pollution currently put at $2.9 trillion.
Nigeria badly hit
Nearer home, Nigeria, Africa’s largest and most populous country boasts an unenviable record as world’s second-largest producer of plastic waste, producing between 3-3.5 million tons of plastic waste annually.
A significant portion of this huge plastic waste ends up in waterways, blocking drainage systems across the country, increasing the risk of urban flooding and polluting the Atlantic coastline.
Indeed, Nigeria’s marine biodiversity and public health have never been this threatened. Lagos State, the country’s commercial nerve centre, alone generates about 2,250 tons of plastic waste, making it the city with the highest emitter of plastic pollution in the world. Some of the plastics find their way into water bodies where they disrupt marine ecosystems.
Some of the plastic wastes also settle on the seabed or drift onto beaches in many coastal areas across the country, especially in the Niger Delta region, where inhabitants daily inundate the authorities with complaints that the plastics alter natural habitats, especially for species such as seabirds and turtles that rely on these areas for nesting and feeding.
It is easy to see how this is so. Experts say that when plastics break down under heat and saltwater, they release toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates—synthetic chemicals used in making polycarbonate plastic—polluting freshwater sources and marine life. These chemicals are not just harmful to aquatic organisms; they also make their way into the food chain, eventually reaching humans.
An environmental advocate and former presidential candidate, Dr. Gbenga Olawepo-Hashim lamented that “plastic waste has become a silent invader in our homes, rivers, oceans and even our food chain.”
According to him, plastic waste threatens wildlife, undermines public health and disrupts ecosystems in ways that demand immediate and sustained action.
“From clogged drainage systems in our cities to polluted waterways in our rural communities, the evidence of plastic pollution is everywhere,” Olawepo-Hashim said, warning that “Nigeria, like many other countries, is not immune to these dangers.”
The occasion was this year’s “World Environment Day,” which focused on tackling plastic pollution by urging countries, organisations and individuals to act together to protect the planet.
Observed on June 5, Olawepo-Hashim seized the platform of the 2025 World Environment Day whose theme was “Ending Plastic Pollution” to insist that “Nigerians must rethink our relationship with plastic.”
Lagos State bans single-use plastics
However, in a bid to contain the health and environmental hazards of plastic pollution, the Lagos State Government, in January 2024, banned the use of Styrofoam and single-use plastics, enforceable from July 1, 2025. The Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab cited clogged drainage, rampant littering and increased flooding as reasons for the ban.
But the ban, which aimed at reducing plastic waste and promoting sustainability, did not go down well with some stakeholders, particularly those in the plastics manufacturing sector.
For instance, the Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN) expressed concern that the proposed nationwide ban on single-use plastics would lead to closures of many small and medium manufacturing enterprises and undoubtedly have a telling impact on the operational landscape for businesses across diverse sectors.
MAN said Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) within the plastics industry are particularly vulnerable to the negative impact of the ban, as these businesses often have limited resources to invest in new technologies or retool their operations.
“Consequently, they may face significant challenges in adapting to the new regulatory environment. The closure of SMEs can have far-reaching consequences for local economies, as they contribute to job creation, tax revenue and supply chain stability,” MAN stated.
On his part, the CEO of Printrite Foundation for Sustainable Environment and Education, a non-profit organisation, Austin Igwe said it’s not just about asking the government to ban single-use plastics; it’s about providing practical, eco-friendly substitutes that people can adopt easily.
The Foundation launched an initiative aimed at reducing the environmental impact of single-use plastics in 2024. The initiative, called the Plastic Alternative Container (PAC) Project, introduced a range of practical and sustainable containers as substitutes for conventional single-use plastics.
Igwe said the PAC Project features biodegradable and 100 per cent recyclable materials designed to replace non-degradable plastics commonly used in markets and other commercial spaces.
The goal, he said, is to provide a practical solution that not only reduces plastic waste but also minimises health risks associated with plastic usage.
According to him, the initiative goes beyond merely advocating for policy changes. “While advocacy is important, we felt the need to take a step further by offering a viable alternative. It’s not just about asking the government to ban single-use plastics; it’s about providing practical, eco-friendly substitutes that people can adopt easily,” Igwe emphasised.
Communities turn trash to cash, create jobs
Faced with the formidable existential threat foisted on them by plastic pollution, a coalition of communities, entrepreneurs and environmental advocates refused to succumb to the threat.
Accordingly, across communities affected by the menace, local innovation and partnerships with businesses, governments and NGOs, exemplified by the Doubeli Community in Yola, Chanja Datti in Abuja, students and youths on campuses across Osun State, and even foundations aimed at reclaiming the environment are showing promise.
However, while grassroots efforts sow seeds of change, environmental experts insist that sustainable transformation requires systemic support. An environmentalist, Jude Ozo said despite these successes, challenges persist. He said, for instance, that in many rural areas, there is no formal waste collection system.
He said even where infrastructure exists, poor maintenance and lack of community buy-in slow progress. Also, public education around waste sorting remains low, and in several states, environmental policies exist only in name.
“People see plastic waste as dirty or worthless. Changing perception is just as important as building bins and trucks,” Ozo told The Nation.
Another challenge, he said, lay in the cultural shift needed to change people’s attitudes toward waste. Despite the growing awareness of the environmental crisis, many Nigerians still view waste management as the responsibility of the government, rather than as a shared community effort.
Two years after the Yola Renewal Foundation inaugurated its plastic recycling hub in Sangere, Numan Road, Yola, Mr Lot said the hub is confronting the rising cost of production owing to the ever-growing cost of obtaining plastic waste.
His words: “The plastic recycling hub remains open, but we are facing the challenge of obtaining sufficient plastic waste. The competition for it has become stiffer. Currently, we have many people participating in it. Even the Chinese are coming to Yola to buy these used plastic items.
“We find now that when you put the expenditure into consideration, if not because we are an organisation with donor funding, the business (of waste recycling) is not sustainable. The cost of plastic items has risen sharply. One kg of plastic waste now is more than N200. We are talking about 50kg, 100kg, a ton that we need at a time. You have members of staff to pay, and you have a machine to service.
“The challenge is in the area of getting raw material. It is available, but the cost is the issue. Suppliers have more people to sell to and are raising the cost. These Chinese, in particular, their coming pushed the price up. By implication, it’s more profitable for plastic waste pickers now than the average local recycling person.”
The Yola Renewal Foundation, according to Lot, got funding from the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD) for a Trash-to-Cash project in 2021, aimed at turning plastic pollution into environmental cleanliness.
“One of the objectives of that was to build the capacity of youths and empower them to get plastic waste out of the environment,” he explained, adding that another objective was to build a factory that could recycle waste mopped from communities selected for the project.
A third objective, he revealed, was to liaise with big waste handlers called aggregators who buy from waste pickers and get them to be responsible for their waste pickers by rewarding them more adequately and guiding them against crime.
But with the challenge of sustainability, particularly around the high cost of getting raw materials, the Foundation appears to be at a loss on how to continue with its Trash-to-Cash project.
That’s not all. The campaign to get plastic waste out of the way suffered a setback in August 2024 when Governor Ahmadu Fintiri banned scavenging throughout the state, citing scavengers who were stealing valuable properties, among other crimes, in addition to waste picking.
For a plastic pollution-free Nigeria
An environmental economist, Dr Andy Obinna, did not mince words that without nationwide waste infrastructure and tighter monitoring, grassroots efforts risk being overwhelmed.
“Policies look great on paper, but enforcement is weak, especially outside Lagos and Abuja,” he said.
Ogbemudia stressed the importance of involving citizens and diverse stakeholders in the environmental policy-making process, noting that public participation provides valuable insights that help government officials better understand community needs and priorities.
He added that engaging stakeholders also fosters ownership of policies, making implementation smoother and more effective.
Experts also recommend that communities see waste as a resource not a curse, noting that the environmental benefits are real.
“In northern Nigeria, where desertification threatens livelihoods, local NGOs use plastic mulch to conserve water in arid farms showing that recycling isn’t just urban, it’s agriculturally strategic,” a consultant with UNDP, who spoke anonymously, said.
“Plastic pollution is a development issue but also an untapped opportunity,” CEO of Sterling One Foundation, Mrs Olapeju Ibekwe, stated, noting that “if we do not treat it as urgent and systemic, it will keep undermining livelihoods, health and climate goals.”
She spoke recently when Sterling One Foundation, as part of activities marking World Environment Day, took concrete steps to confront the plastic pollution crisis through community-led cleanups, strategic partnerships and ongoing policy engagement.
•This special report is on the behest of The Nation Journalism Foundation (tNJF)
The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) has called on the Federal Government to implement policy interventions aimed at curbing plastic pollution in the country.
This call was made as Nigeria joined the global community in celebrating World Environment Day.
In a statement signed by the National Public Relations Secretary of the Institute, Dr Jesse Nor, the NITP National President, Tpl. Dr Ogbonna Chime, urged the government to ban the use of plastic packaging materials in stores and markets.
Dr Chime lamented that despite the serious negative impact of plastic pollution on sectors such as tourism, recreation, and water resource management, the issue has not received adequate attention.
He emphasized that curbing plastic pollution would significantly support the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing), SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation), and SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure).
The statement read in part: “The Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP) joins the global community in celebrating this year’s World Environment Day, held annually on June 5. The theme, ‘Beat Plastic Pollution,’ aligns with the Institute’s position that waste must be properly managed to enhance the livability of human settlements in Nigeria.”
The statement noted that while plastics are useful in areas such as packaging, material conservation, and energy management, the rate at which plastic waste is generated in many African cities far exceeds the capacity to manage it. Consequently, plastic waste has become a major urban crisis, threatening both hydrological systems and public health.
“Plastic pollution negatively impacts various sectors including tourism, recreation, water management, agriculture, and the food processing value chain. It also contributes to climate risks and broader ecological problems due to its non-biodegradable nature,” the statement added.
The NITP pointed out that plastic waste is prevalent across Nigerian cities, towns, and villages—contaminating water sources and littering streets. Plastics are commonly used for packaging food and drinks, often leading to health hazards. A 2020 joint report by UNEP and UN-Habitat revealed that in Lagos alone, each resident discards an average of 10 plastic water bottles daily.
The Institute acknowledged existing waste management efforts such as collection, crushing, and recycling, and described these strategies as “heartwarming.” However, it stressed that much more needs to be done.
“As Town Planners, we are deeply concerned about plastic pollution because it hinders the effective planning of human settlements for functionality, healthy living, and aesthetics,” the statement continued.
Dr Chime reiterated that addressing plastic pollution will have positive ripple effects on multiple SDGs, including SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).
To combat the issue, the NITP recommended the enactment and enforcement of laws banning single-use plastics, especially in packaging; promotion of a circular economy focused on the reuse of plastics; incentives for companies adopting plastic reduction models; encouragement of organic alternatives such as leaves for food packaging; reuse of plastic waste in construction as polymers and for flooring or interlocks; and exploration of a plastic waste trade system in malls and stores, similar to carbon trading models.
“The Institute wishes Nigeria a safe, healthy, and risk-free environment as it joins the global community in celebrating World Environment Day,” the statement concluded.
Medplus, Nigeria’s foremost retail chain pharmacy, has marked World Environment Day 2025 with a powerful call to action under the global theme: “Ending plastic pollution.”
The company reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability with a series of internal and external initiatives aimed at reducing plastic waste and promoting responsible consumption.
Managing Director/CEO, Joke Bakare, emphasised the urgent need for collective action.
Addressing stakeholders, she said: “Plastic pollution threatens the health of our planet and our people.
“At Medplus, we are committed to being part of the solution.
“With more than 30 years of experience and over 148 stores nationwide, we keep working to reduce our plastic footprint and contribute meaningfully to preserving our planet for future generations,” she said.
Bakare urged stakeholders to reflect on the urgency of the plastic pollution crisis and to take meaningful steps to combat it.
“Every plastic item we reuse or recycle brings us one step closer to a cleaner and healthier environment,” she said.
The MD/CEO noted that Medplus continues to lead by example in Nigeria’s retail sector, proving that environmental sustainability and business excellence can go hand in hand.
She added that everyone has a role to play.
“Together, we can protect our environment, preserve public health, and shape a sustainable future.
“Medplus invites the public, customers, and partners to join the conversation online and take action toward a plastic-free future,” she said.
Medplus has already made significant strides in environmental responsibility, including a strategic partnership with Polymer Plastic Recycling to manage its plastic waste.
It was recognised as the Most Sustainable Retail Organisation at the 2024 Africa Retail Congress.
This year’s campaign builds on that momentum with a focused effort to reduce single-use plastics across the company’s operations.
Executive Director, Mr Ife Bakare, noted: “This campaign is not just about a day.
“It is about making sustainable practices a part of our corporate DNA and encouraging other organisations to follow suit.”
Spearheaded by Mr Kingson Elendu, the Head of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) Department at Medplus, the 2025 campaign includes a customer and employee awareness drive led by employee volunteers; a CEO message encouraging internal commitment to sustainability and a vibrant social media campaign.
The Centre for Media and Society (CEMESO) has joined global voices in calling for urgent and sustained action to tackle the plastic crisis endangering Nigeria’s urban centers, rural areas, ecosystems, and future generations.
Speaking in commemoration of World Environment Day, CEMESO’s Executive Director, Dr. Akin Akingbulu, urged government authorities, private sector stakeholders, civil society organizations, and the media to strengthen collaborative efforts to curb plastic pollution nationwide.
Dr. Akingbulu emphasized that World Environment Day should mark a pivotal moment for environmental reform, responsibility, and long-term commitment to sustainability.
“World Environment Day, led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), serves as a global platform for advocacy and action on environmental challenges. The 2025 observance highlights one of the most pressing issues of our time: plastic pollution. With over 400 million tonnes of plastic produced globally each year and a significant portion ending up in landfills, rivers, and oceans, the call to action has never been more urgent.
“In Nigeria, the realities are sobering. The country generates approximately 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, ranking among the top contributors to plastic pollution globally. Shockingly, over 88% of this plastic waste is not recycled, often ending up in drainage systems, public spaces, and coastal waters,” he said.
Dr Akingbulu observed that urban centres like Lagos face mounting plastic waste that clogs waterways and contributes to flooding and public health crises. Meanwhile, rural areas and oil-producing communities, especially in the Niger Delta, endure decades of pollution from extractive activities, worsening the degradation of natural ecosystems.
He said that CEMESO acknowledges the recent steps taken by the Nigerian government, including the adoption of the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, the announcement of a 2025 nationwide ban on single-use plastics, and the push for Extended Producer Responsibility to hold manufacturers accountable.
However, the success of these policies depends on effective implementation, enforcement, and broad-based public awareness.
“Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in the global effort to end plastic pollution. While the government has made laudable commitments, implementation must be swift, inclusive, and rooted in the realities of urban and rural Nigeria,” said Dr Akin Akingbulu.
“This is a moment for shared responsibility. From policymakers to producers, media professionals to school children, everyone must play a role. Let us not wait until our rivers, farms, and future are permanently choked by plastic.”
He therefore called on the Federal Government to ensure full enforcement of the single-use plastics ban by 2025 and expand support for recycling and circular economy initiatives.
State and local governments to invest in waste management infrastructure and public education campaigns.
He also urged the media to amplify environmental education and promote behavioural change and civil society and the private sector to innovate and collaborate on sustainable packaging alternatives.
Dr Akingbulu noted that there was the need to move from pollution to solution, expressing optimism that together, we can beat plastic pollution and secure a cleaner, healthier Nigeria for generations to come.
The Green-Skill Schools Challenge, a flagship event of Seven-Up Bottling Company’s (SBC) Sustainability Week, empowered students across Lagos State with innovative skills and cash prizes to tackle plastic pollution and champion the circular economy.
The grand finale, held at SBC’s Ikeja manufacturing plant, brought together 18 schools from six districts of Lagos. It showcased practical solutions to plastic pollution, including upcycling projects and waste-to-resource initiatives.
The Managing Director of Seven-Up Bottling Company, Ziad Maalouf, praised the efforts of the young participants, describing them as the future leaders of sustainability.
Maalouf emphasised the importance of fostering innovation and promoting environmental awareness among youths.
He noted that the initiative aligns with SBC’s commitment to nurturing the next generation of leaders who will drive the green economy.
“We are incredibly proud of these future leaders who have participated in the Green Skills School Challenge and Exhibition as part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability.
“This initiative aligns with SBC’s core values of fostering innovation, promoting environmental awareness, and supporting the next generation of leaders who will drive the green economy forward. It’s inspiring to see how passionate and committed the students are to making a difference.” Maalouf said.
The competition received 330 applications, from which 18 schools were shortlisted. The students’ creativity was rewarded with significant cash prizes: ₦1,000,000 for the first-place school, ₦500,000 for the second place, and ₦250,000 for the third place. Additional consolation prizes totaling ₦1,500,000 were distributed among the other schools.
All participating students also received grants of ₦110,000 each, courtesy of a collaboration between SBC, Zenith Bank, and LAWMA Academy.
Maalouf added that the grants aim to build capacity in environmental sustainability and entrepreneurship, supplemented by a specialised Green Skill Scale-Up bootcamp organised in partnership with key organizations.
Lagos State Commissioner, Basic and Secondary Education, Jamiu Tolani Alli-Balogun, represented by Grace Akinfoyewa, commended SBC’s dedication to integrating sustainability into the educational system.
“Integrating sustainability into youth education is essential for equipping our students with the skills to address pressing environmental challenges. We appreciate SBC’s efforts in providing students with tools to lead the fight against plastic pollution.”
The Special Adviser on Climate Change and Circular Economy to the Governor of Lagos State, Titi Oshodi, also praised the initiative, highlighting its potential to inspire a generation of environmentally conscious leaders.
The United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA) through resolution 5/14 has requested its Director to convene an Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an International legally binding instrument on plastic pollution, including the marine environment hereinafter referred to as “the instrument. “
The UNEA said that this law or instrument will decide the full life circle of plastic at INC-4 held in Ottawa, Canada.
Plastic includes but not limited to bottled water, pure water, plastic buckets, slippers, children’s feeding bottles, plastic cups and plates, and anything plastic.
More than 2,500 delegates participated in the INC-4, representing 170 Members of the United Nations (UN) and over 480 UN Entities, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO), and Observer Organisations.
This included the International Charitable Initiative for Girl Child and Women Development Foundation (ICI-GWODEF) represented by its founder, Barr. Helen Ibeji and Mrs. Olivia Okaro.
According to Ibeji, the negative effect on humans who rely on the ocean life for the source of their revenue, nourishment, and marine activities will suffer economic set back coupled with the effect that humanity may not have clean water in the coming years prompted the need for a world summit on plastic pollution.
She also noted that plastic pollutes the land as well especially when humans dump plastic waste into landfills, the soil gets damaged and as such cannot produce as required.
“As plastic does not dissolve, it remains in the water thereby hampering its purity. Plastic pollution will disrupt the food chain as marine life starts to die off and go extinct.
“Ailments caused by plastic pollution include cardiovascular disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, leukemia, lymphorna, brain cancer, breast cancer, and decreased fertility.
“At Ottawa Canada, we were all united by our strong shared commitment to deliver an international legally binding instrument to end plastic pollution. It is this good spirit of multilateralism that guided our discussion in Ottawa Canada during the INC-4.
“Discussions were centered on emissions and releases, productions, product designs, waste management, problematic and avoidable plastics, financing, and a just transition”, said Ibeji.
“Members decided to create an open-ended legal drafting group to form INC-5 by reviewing elements of the draft revised text to ensure legal soundness.
“While plastic pollution continues to engulf the world, the participants are bent on reducing if not ending to the menace. During the seven days of intense deliberations, we have managed to build on and advance the revised draft text of the instrument, providing streamlined text and entering Textual negotiations on several elements.
“Members are ready to deliver on this mandate in Busan and agree to a final text of the instrument.”
She further mentioned that they left Ottawa, Canada having achieved both goals and a clear path to landing an ambitious deal in Busan, Republic of Korea ahead.
Before INC-4 in Ottawa Canada, INC-1 was held in Punta del Este in November 2022, followed by INC-2 in Paris which took place in May/June 2023, while INC-3 took place in Nairobi around November 2023.
“While our NGO was fully represented in the recently concluded INC-4 in Ottawa Canada, the last of the Conference is coming up in Busan, Republic of Korea sometime around November 2024.
“Countries took their turn on hosting delegates and observers together, we were hosted by the Nigeria High Commission in Canada on the 29th day of April and for the first time we shared on the National Cake”, Ibeji said.
Determined to ensure a toxic-free future, a non governmental organization known as CFEW has launched campaign against the dangers associated with plastic recycling and pollution in Nigeria.
The NGO said the time is ripe to put an end to use of plastics and recycling of plastic across the country.
It said Nigerian citizens have over the last century exposed to all mannar of toxic chemicals emanating from usage and recycling of plastics.
Briefing reporters in Jos, a research associate of CFEW, Stanley Okwara, noted that the federal ministry of environment is already spareheading the campaign against environmental pollution.
He said: “From the beginning, it was thought that it was convenient to use plastics in our daily activities, but we have realized we are already in danger of environmental disaster.
“Now our environment is flooded with plastics, our efforts to manage and recycle these plastics is getting us into more trouble as we exposed to more to all manner of toxic chemicals.
Okwara called on Nigerians to intensify campaign against proliferation of plastic to reduce the harmful chemical in our environment.
How to curb improper management of plastic waste was the highpoint of discussion at a waste management awareness campaign organised by the Sterling Global Oil Resources Ltd. (SGORL), for students of the Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology (FCFMT).
Addressing the students and their lecturers at the event which was held at the BonVoyage Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, recently, the Assistant Director, Circular Economy and Recycling, Waste Management Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Toyin Oguntola, described plastic pollution is a universal phenomenon, adding that the change in human lifestyles are major contributors to the high volume of plastic wastes.
Mrs Oguntola, speaking on the theme: ‘Stop Plastic Pollution, be a part of the solution’ said “Plastics which are generated in large quantities globally, are a high threat to the sustainability of the planet earth, as plastic wastes in all forms have engulfed our oceans and damaged our surroundings.”
While urging the students to join in the campaign to keep the environment safe from plastic waste pollution, Mrs Oguntola urged that recycling of the plastics will go a long way in decontaminating the environment.
Principal Scientist, Ministry of Environment Mrs. Funmilayo Ejide, while also addressing the students said, “Plastic waste is choking us. Everyday plastic waste is streaming into our natural water bodies and blocking their natural flow at a frightening scale.”
She said: “Although our communities are the most vulnerable to climate change, we can play an important role in mitigating this and safeguarding the environment and enhancing the quality of life for the future generations by our habits, one of which is in recycling the plastics.”
She commended SGORL for recognizing the impact of the growing plastics lifestyle on the environment and the need to continuously and consistently drum the need to improve our plastic waste management mechanisms to preserve the environment.
Senior Lecturer, Federal College of Fisheries and Marine Technology, Engr. Agbaiko Odio, agrees that recycling plastic waste is one of the safest ways to prevent environmental pollution.
Odio said the campaign initiative embarked upon by SGORL is helping to build a sense of social responsibility among the communities so that efficient material recovery and recycling are accomplished.
“Given the growing concern around plastic risks and multiplied plastic wastes, the need for viable and environment-friendly solutions has continued to rise.
“The recycling of plastic products and waste is essential for the benefit of both communities and the natural environment,” he said, adding that the hostile consequence of plastic waste is now a comprehensive concern as it is associated with global warming and climate change by emitting toxic gases and contaminants into the environment.
