Nigeria has signed a tripartite agreement with Japan and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) on sustainable plastic waste management to boost Nigeria’s circular economy.
Speaking at the signing ceremony of the project “Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chain Through Circular Economy Practices” in Nigeria, in Abuja, the Minister of State for Environment, Barr. Sharon Ikeazor, said the $3 million project billed to run from 2022 – 2025 will help Nigeria manage plastic wastes’ efficiently to boost economic development.
“Nigeria, with a population of over 200 Million people generates about 32 Million tons of solid waste per year, of which 1.15 Million tons are plastic wastes, with little or no segregation is illegally dumped in open spaces including drainages or co disposed off with hazardous wastes such as health care wastes in dumpsites and burnt openly with an estimated 340 thousand tons ending up as marine litter.
She noted that the unwholesome practices have been linked to the perennial flooding across the country, increased respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, increased incidences of cancer, loss of aquatic life, loss in agricultural productivity, etc.
Ikeazor stressed that the large volume of plastic waste that is generated in the country presents circular economic business opportunities across the plastic value chain which should be properly harnessed for job/wealth creation, establishment of micro, small and medium scale enterprises, private sector investment including foreign direct investment in addition to preventing/reducing plastic leakages to the environment.
“Therefore, the Ministry has taken proactive measures to promote, institutionalise and entrench sound circular economy principles and practices in the country,”
she said.
She added that the project would therefore complement the efforts of federal government in mainstreaming circular economy principles and practices into Nigeria’s National Development Plan.
“Nigeria’s circular economy potentials can be seen in its large and thriving waste management sector that attracts operators due to the high volume of wastes and demand for recycled materials. One of the ways to realize this potential is to support the industry by demonstrating benefits of adopting circular economy practices with innovative technologies including recycling technology or alternative material production.
“This is exactly what this project whose objective is to promote the integration of circular economy principles and practices into plastic waste management, strengthen plastic value chains, demonstrate the benefits of adopting circular economy practices and resource efficient production of plastic value chains in Nigeria, is designed to achieve,” she added.
In his remarks, the UNIDO representative and regional director, Nigeria regional office hub, Mr. Jean Bakole, explained that the project which originated concretely from the project “Study on available sustainable alternative materials to plastics and innovative packaging and recycling technologies that meet market needs in Africa to reduce plastic leakages to the environment” collaboratively carried out by UNIDO and the government of Japan will help in the economic and social development of Nigeria.
He said the project which is funded by the Government of Japan and would be implemented by UNIDO and Nigeria, through the Ministry of Environment would focus mainly on Lagos State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
“Through the project, we also hope to develop national and states implementation guidelines for the National Policy on Plastics Waste Management, strengthen recycling value-chains in selected municipalities in Lagos, FCT and Technology demonstration of circular economy and resource efficiency practices,” he added.
Also, the Ambassador of Japan to Nigeria, Matsunaga Kazuyoshi, said Japan is committing $3m to the federal government to promote sustainable plastic value chain through circular economy practices because of its commitment to promoting a better eco-system, stressing that what affects Nigeria affects Japan too.
He restated that Japan hopes to contribute to the development of the blue economy as well as the prosperity of Nigeria, adding it plans to achieve this through the multifaceted project of contribution to environment conservation and contribution to the new economic growth.
