UN Calls For Urgent Action On Plastic Contamination In Nigeria

United Nations (UN) has called for urgent action against plastic pollution in Nigeria, demanding that “Nigeria’s plastic contamination has reached a disturbing scale, with neither metropolitan nor rural regions getting away from this curse.”

Speaking at the 50th Environment Day celebration organised by the UN and Green Hub Africa, at the UN House in Abuja, the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mathias Schmale decried that Nigeria uses over 1.5 million metric tons of plastic each year, one of the highest in Africa.

He equally lamented that much of this is single-use such as plastic bags, bottles, and straws, noting that Lagos alone uses 10 million plastic bags a day.

He said: “Waste management remains a challenge across the country. A large portion of plastic waste ends up in open dumps, landfills, water bodies, drainage systems, and along coastal areas. In fact, a mere 10% of plastic is recycled according to the Federal Ministry of the Environment.

“We need to urgently address plastic pollution in Nigeria if we are to achieve the 2030 Agenda and its SDGs.”

He explained that this however is a problem that can be solved, adding that: “A new report by the UN Environment Programme shows that we can reduce plastic pollution by 80 per cent by 2040. But we must act now.

“We need collaborative efforts from all stakeholders – a whole-of-society approach – including Government, private sector, CSOs, and international partners to enhance policy implementation, promote a circular economy, and reduce plastic use.

“Innovative solutions and new technologies are required to tackle plastic pollution effectively in Nigeria. R&D is essential to develop sustainable approaches and alternatives to single-use plastic.

“Raising awareness among the general public of the impacts of plastic pollution is equally important. Education campaigns, clean-up drives, and recycling initiatives can move us as a society towards more responsible consumption and waste management.”

Schmale, who was represented by the UNDP Representative in Nigeria, Mohamed Yahya, promised that the UN will continue to work with its partners in Nigeria to tackle plastic pollution.

He said: “For instance, UNIDO has been supporting the Government in advancing its waste management policy. UNEP is involved in another project called ‘Circular and POPs-free Plastics in Africa’ which aims to reduce persistent organic pollutants from the plastics value chain.”

He said: “The UN commends the Government of Nigeria for playing an active role at the ongoing Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee meetings for the development of this global plastic convention.

“We look forward to working closely with the new administration on this issue and others related to plastics. The UN stands ready to provide technical expertise, capacity building, and financial aid as we combat this pollution together.”

He said: “On this World Environment Day 2023, let us remember that each one of us has a role to play. We can all take action in our daily lives by making sustainable choices. As individuals and consumers, we can act now to reuse, recycle, reorient, and diversify away from plastics. Together, we can Beat Plastic Pollution.

“A greener Nigeria and a healthier planet are essential for a prosperous and peaceful future.”

On his part the Chief Executive Office/ Founder GreenHubAfrica, Mr, Henry Bassey, explained that: “We are a non-government organisation that promotes environmental sustainability through education, edutainment, advocacy using media platforms and programmes.

“We redesign, repurpose and disseminate simple programmes for better comprehension and awareness of local environmental issues. The goal is to leave the earth better by provoking a mindset shift towards climate action for a healthier and sustainable Africa”.

The theme for this year’s World Environmental Day is “Solution to plastic pollution”.