Nigerian waste management initiative has run into trouble

From the newsletter

Environmental activists in Nigeria are protesting the government's application to import non-hazardous waste from the EU, arguing the country lacks the infrastructure to handle additional waste and could turn into a dumping ground. However, the imports could offer cheaper raw materials and increased investment for circular economy businesses.

• Waste imports, if properly managed, could supercharge Africa’s circular economy. Imported materials like textiles and refuse-derived fuel (RDF) already power Nigerian industries.

• However, without strong oversight, unchecked waste imports could flood the market with low-value materials, undermining local recyclers and worsening pollution.

More details

• The EU’s updated Waste Shipments Regulation, part of the Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan  establishes stricter controls on waste flows. The regulation aims to prevent the EU from exporting its waste problems and better address illegal waste trafficking. 

• Nigeria, Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia, and Togo are  among 24 non-Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development  (OECD) countries that applied for the imports by the February 21 2025 deadline, with the EU set to decide on approvals by November 21, 2026. Currently, Nigeria imports mutilated rags and RDF from the EU under the 1991 Basel Convention, which regulates the transboundary movement of waste. 

• According to Bahijjahtu Abubakar, Director of the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health in Nigeria, the rags are recycled into textiles like sweaters and baby shawls, while RDF powers cement kilns.

• Despite the government’s defense of the imports, activists remain skeptical. Philip Jakpor, Executive Director of Renevlyn Development Initiative, criticized the decision: "It’s unfortunate to learn that Nigeria is pleading and even has to apply and be vetted to be included in a list of countries to import waste. We are a nation already grappling with waste management issues — to apply for EU waste is extremely demeaning."

• Africa already faces a severe waste management crisis. According to a World Bank's report, Sub-Saharan Africa generates approximately 174 million tonnes of waste annually and could triple to 516 million tonnes by 2050. Although waste generation remains lower than in developed regions, UN-Habitat warns that the region could become the world’s top waste producer if current trends persist. 

• Yet, this mounting waste challenge conceals an enormous opportunity. Approximately 70–80% of municipal solid waste in Africa is recyclable, but only 4% is currently recycled. Meanwhile, 13% of waste is plastic and 57% is organic, streams that, if processed, could power local industries through recycling, composting, or bioenergy production.

• For African countries, non-hazardous waste imports could catalyze a circular economy boom. Europe and other wealthy regions are seeking markets to process waste they can no longer easily dispose of due to tighter regulations. If African countries build the right infrastructure from recycling plants to waste-to-energy facilities,  imported materials could fuel local industries, create green jobs, and attract foreign investment. 

• Africa’s abundant workforce, growing green innovation ecosystem, and vast untapped renewable energy potential make it an ideal hub for sustainable waste processing. Social enterprises and Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises are already driving circular solutions, and foreign waste could supplement local waste streams to scale these models. However, success hinges on strict regulatory frameworks to prevent illegal dumping and ensure imports truly contribute to sustainable development.

Our take

• Africa stands at a crossroads: leverage global waste for sustainable development or risk becoming the world’s dumping ground. The solution lies in bold policy reforms, public-private partnerships, and a commitment to building a circular economy that benefits communities rather than burdens them.

• In theory, waste imports could accelerate Africa’s transition to a circular economy, but without proper safeguards, they risk worsening the continent’s existing waste crisis. The challenge lies in turning imported waste into a resource, not an environmental liability.

• Ultimately, whether waste imports become a burden or a catalyst for growth depends on African governments’ ability to build infrastructure, enforce environmental protections, and turn waste into wealth. With the right policies, imported waste could help power Africa’s circular economy revolution — but without careful management, it could further entrench an already unsustainable crisis.