KEY POINTS

• Nigerian government and lawmakers advocate for recycling to reduce waste and create jobs.
• Recycling seen as an economic opportunity, especially for young entrepreneurs.
• Proposed legislation seeks to hold producers accountable for managing waste throughout product life cycles.

George Akume, Nigeria’s Secretary to the Government of the Federation, has urged stakeholders and citizens to invest in waste management and recycling, emphasizing the opportunities to lower environmental impact and create jobs.

Akume stressed that recycling offers unrealized economic and environmental benefits while speaking at the presentation of Recycling in Nigeria, a book written by politician Terseer Ugbor.

His plea is in line with current initiatives to solve the nation’s trash problems and generate long-term employment possibilities.

Speaking through his Chief of Staff, Chris Tarka, Akume pointed out that industrialized nations who have effectively put recycling systems in place might teach Nigeria a lot.

According to Punch, he encouraged Nigerians to view waste as a precious resource, saying, “In many countries, recycling is embedded in daily life, creating new business opportunities.”

Lagos alone produces more than 5 million tonnes of waste a year, according to the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), highlighting the enormous potential in waste management.

A call to action for sustainable waste management

The occasion demonstrated that Nigeria has not yet fully embraced recycling as a driver of economic progress, despite the country’s high unemployment rate.

Recycling, according to Akume, is a “big business” with lots of prospects, especially for young entrepreneurs looking to launch new businesses. “The waste required to meet this demand is easily accessible to communities across the country,” he continued.

Echoing Akume’s views, Ugbor, the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, underlined the significance of teaching young Nigerians about the advantages of recycling.

“Recycling can drive a sustainable economy by putting money in people’s pockets while reducing waste,” he said, highlighting the numerous financial prospects in handling various waste kinds, including plastics, tires, e-waste, and paper.

Legislative initiatives to enforce recycling

Ugbor also talked about planned legislation, such as the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Act, that aims to improve waste management.

This law would require all producers, businesses, and consumers to properly manage their trash over the course of a product’s lifecycle. The measure, which is presently before the National Assembly, intends to hold all parties responsible for the garbage they generate in order to foster a recycling culture in Nigeria.

He clarified that each manufacturer, importer, and individual would be held accountable for the proper disposal of their items at the end of their useful lives under the EPR Act.

“By guaranteeing that waste products are recycled, the EPR policy will lay the groundwork for sustainable waste management,” Ugbor said.

To evaluate the waste management procedures of companies and manufacturers throughout Nigeria, the Ministry of Environment and the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) have started a survey.

Together with public education, Akume and Ugbor expect that these policies would encourage a recycling culture that will drastically cut waste pollution and generate jobs.