Experts Advocate for Stakeholders’ Collaboration in Driving Nigeria’s Transition to Circular Economy

Dike Onwuamaeze

Participants at the 6th Lagos Waste Forum have pledged to foster strong collaboration among government, private sector, and development partners in driving Nigeria’s transition to a circular, resource-efficient economy through efficient waste management.

They also agreed to prioritise financing, technology adoption, capacity‑building, and community engagement as Nigeria accelerates towards a resource-efficient, climate-smart, economically vibrant waste ecosystem.

The forum whose theme was “The Power of Nigeria’s Waste Economy”, was organised by the SWEEP Foundation NG and co-sponsored by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), the European Union and Coca‑Cola Nigeria.

In his welcome remarks, President/CEO SWEEP Foundation NG, Ambassador Obuesi Phillips, underscored the importance of collaboration between government, private enterprise, and partners, including the EU, UNIDO, and Coca-Cola.

“Nigeria’s waste sector has vast untapped potential,” he said, describing dumpsites as emerging “waste mines” that feed materials back into productive value chains. He called for enabling policies, financial mechanisms such as a dedicated Green Bank offering single-digit interest loans to waste enterprises, and the eventual creation of a Ministry of Waste Resources to reflect Lagos’s leadership in recycling and environmental innovation.

Delivering the forum’s lecture, the Ogun State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr. Ola Oresanya, stressed that tackling Nigeria’s environmental challenges required more than policy declarations.

Oresanya said: “Solutions must be guided by research, innovation, and evidence-based interventions tailored to Nigeria’s local contexts.”

He also urged for capacity‑building across all tiers of government and advocating for a technically skilled environmental workforce.

The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) highlighted the economic promise of Nigeria’s annual production of 32 million tonnes of waste.

The FBRA said that efficient waste management in Nigeria could deliver up to $250 billion, with Lagos alone generating ₦18 billion in recycling value.

“Circularity is not just an ecological necessity, but a strategic pathway to jobs, innovation, and environmental protection,” the FBRA said.

The Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by Special Adviser on the Environment, Olakunle Rotimi‑Akodu, emphasised the city’s central role in shaping Nigeria’s circular economy.

“Lagos generates vast quantities of waste,” he noted, “but within this challenge lies a significant opportunity — one realised through structure, innovation, and entrepreneurial intelligence,” the governor said.

He highlighted the state’s investments, progressive policies, and strategic partnerships that are advancing a shift from traditional waste disposal to modern circular systems built on recycling, resource recovery, and green job creation.

“Agencies like LAWMA, working alongside the private sector, are building an integrated framework that positions Lagos as a hub of circular economy innovation,” he said, reaffirming the government’s commitment to reforms and initiatives that transform waste into a driver of economic resilience.