The Federal Government says it is collaborating with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) to advance waste management reforms in Nigeria.
The Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor, disclosed this at a workshop on waste management reforms held on Thursday in Abuja.
Barikor said the event aimed to improve waste management and safeguard the health and rights of informal waste workers in Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone.
“This pilot project is coming at a time when Nigeria is striving to adopt the principles of circular economy and resource efficiency that can create a win-win scenario — where environmental protection goes hand in hand with economic prosperity and improved social well-being.
“The waste management sector plays a vital role in safeguarding public health, ensuring environmental sustainability, and enhancing the quality of life in our communities. However, it has over the years remained one of the key environmental and developmental challenges in Nigeria,” he said.
Barikor noted that despite several policies and plans, Nigeria still faces major challenges in managing waste, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, and poor public awareness.
“Effective waste management is crucial for protecting public health, preserving the environment, and promoting socio-economic development,” he added.
He said NESREA, in collaboration with UNEP under the Montevideo Programme V for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law, is implementing a pilot project in Abuja to strengthen the country’s waste management framework.
According to him, the project seeks to promote environmentally sound and safe waste management practices while ensuring better inclusion and protection of informal waste workers.
“The project will also generate recommendations for necessary legislative and institutional reforms in the waste management sector,” he said.
Barikor urged stakeholders to review the current state of waste management in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), identify areas for legislative and institutional improvement, and explore best practices and innovative approaches.
“Our collective inputs as stakeholders will, in the long run, achieve sustainable waste management practices in Nigeria. Together, we will seek to improve waste management practices within the FCT and beyond,” he said.
In a goodwill message, the Minister of Youth Development, Mr. Ayodele Olawande, commended the initiative, describing it as crucial to safeguarding Nigeria’s environment and future.
Olawande, represented by his Senior Special Assistant, Ms. Leah Akintiresoye, pledged the ministry’s full commitment to the project, noting that it would create employment opportunities for Nigerian youths.
Also speaking, Ms. Aphrodite Smagadi of UNEP commended NESREA for the partnership, emphasizing that achieving environmental sustainability requires collective effort.
“This is a collective responsibility for all. Each voice and perspective matters,” she said, urging stakeholders to ensure that the proposed framework reflects on-ground realities and strengthens Nigeria’s waste management system.
