Q&A: Weak policy undermines waste management in Nigeria

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As Nigeria struggles with mounting waste, circular economy and SDG advocate Helen Olu-Anthony says the absence of consistent policy is the biggest barrier to progress, leaving recycling, financing and informal collectors’ contributions underutilised. Without government commitment, she warns, the country risks missing its circular economy opportunity.

• According to Ms Olu-Anthony, inadequate collection systems, weak extended producer responsibility enforcement and poor planning data are core policy failures holding back the country’s circular transition.

• In an interview she argues that only stronger government commitment can unlock financing, empower informal collectors and enforce recycling standards, transforming waste into a driver of jobs and sustainability.

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How urgent is Nigeria’s waste management crisis today?

Extremely urgent. It is estimated that Lagos alone generates 13,000 tonnes of waste daily. You can imagine what volume of waste is generated daily across the country due to the rapid population growth. The sad thing to note is that this waste takes over a good portion of our landscapes, some end up in our drainage systems and clog our waterways. The resultant effects are all around us: flooding, diverse diseases and indiscriminate location of landfills.

The federal government and some states, such as Lagos, have announced bans on single-use plastics, but enforcement remains weak. What are the main reasons these policies haven’t worked so far, and what practical measures could help ensure they are effectively implemented?

The ban is applaudable, but I’m afraid it may all end up on paper.  What measures have been put in place to address the huge daily need for single-use plastics? Have we been able to actually analyse the percentage of daily consumables wrapped in plastics/polyethene? Have we taken time to analyse the substitutes available? Is the government aware that the plastic menace may be a treasure heap in disguise? I am of the opinion that the policy may have its intended impact if the government implements clear and phased timelines with product lists, like Styrofoam first, cutlery or straws next, and so on, while also ensuring the availability and affordability of substitutes. The ban will be better enforced when there are ready alternatives. This should be supported by planned subsidies where and when necessary, since it is a known fact that substitutes to plastic packaging are more expensive. 

In your opinion, what would you say is the biggest gap holding back progress in effective management of waste in Nigeria?

That would be weak policy and lack of government commitment. If the government at all levels would commit to waste management just as it’s been done for revenue collection; it wouldn’t take much time before the waste crisis becomes a story in our past. An empowered policy would considerably solve some of the problems such as inadequate waste collection and transfer capacity, with too few and aging trucks, overstretched PSP operators, and limited transfer stations and materials recovery facilities. It would also address the weak enforcement of extended producer responsibility, with recycled-content and design standards remaining rare. Financing presents yet another obstacle, as sustainability projects struggle to reach investment grade and banks remain unwilling to invest in initiatives that lack strong government backing. The situation is further complicated by the absence of adequate data and planning, leaving waste flows and composition poorly understood. Finally, despite being the backbone of recovery, the informal sector’s full potential is still not being harnessed maximally.

Where do you see the strongest opportunities to turn the country’s waste crisis into a circular economy opportunity?

Organic waste constitutes about 50 - 60% of municipal solid waste in most Nigeria cities. A huge untapped opportunity in composting, biogas for schools, markets and estates, black-soldier-fly protein. Plastics are also a major opportunity. We have built bottle houses before; we can do it again as the plastics can be recycled and repurposed. Construction and demolition too. The crushed aggregates from debris can be used for road base. This will reduce the pressure on our already stressed mining greatly. 

What is the single most important step that the government, businesses, and citizens should each take right now to improve waste management in the country?

For the government, it needs to fully enforce EPR with measurable targets such as collection, recycling and litter reduction and publish quarterly scorecards by brand and material The fees collected through this process should be dedicated directly to waste and recycling projects in the cities where the waste is generated. Such funds can be used to increase collection trucks and bins in underserved communities, as well as to build or upgrade transfer stations, composting plants, and materials recovery facilities. They can also support informal waste collectors by providing equipment and safety gear, while at the same time financing awareness campaigns that encourage segregation at source. Such measures will ensure accountability as the producers will be happy to see that their EPR fees are funding tangible projects, while the citizens get the resultant results in cleaner streets and drains. Financing infrastructure becomes easier for cities. 

Producers and retailers must go beyond announcements and product advertisements to actively build the economics of recycling. This begins with designing packaging that is truly recyclable and creating consistent demand by committing to the use of recycled content. At the same time, they can help stabilize collection economics by funding floor prices, ensuring collectors remain motivated and engaged. Finally, providing drop-off points at retail hubs such as Shoprite, Justrite, Ebeano, and others will be essential to closing the loop.  

On their part, citizens and communities must take responsibility by segregating organics and recyclables at home, stopping open burning, and making use of community drop-off points. They should also actively participate in neighbourhood sanitation days, fully supported with bags, bins, and reliable pickup services.

In Africa, waste is still largely treated as a nuisance to be discarded rather than a resource to be harnessed. What will it take to flip this mindset?

To achieve a change in peoples’ mindset won’t be that easy, but it can be done with constant campaign at the grassroot level such as schools, market and other public spaces and value orientation to creatively showcase the benefit of circular economy through waste-to-wealth clubs, maker spaces, and neighbourhood repair days. Functional and specific small community projects to earn the people’s buy-in would also be instrumental, as will government involvement and support at grassroot level through incentives in exchange for waste.  Embedding circular economy in school curriculum and National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)-like orientation would also play a significant role.

In July 2025, the African Ministerial Conference on the Environment (AMCEN) endorsed a roadmap to end open burning of plastic waste in Africa by 2040. How significant is this for Nigeria, and what practical steps are needed to align with it?

It’s a big deal for Nigeria; to eliminate open burning by 2040 and achieve a 60% reduction by 2030. It means everyone must be ready to work and do the needful if we don’t want it to end up as another failed move.  To achieve this, there is a need to close and rehabilitate open dumps in phases and upgrade them to engineered landfills with gas capture. At the same time, city-scale organics diversion through composting or anaerobic digestion will be critical to shrinking the burnable fraction. Equally important is anti-burn enforcement, which must go hand in hand with clearly laid out community alternatives such as clean cooking solutions and safe waste drop-off points.

The recent UN plastics treaty negotiations in Geneva ended without agreement, primarily due to disagreements over limiting plastic production. What are your thoughts on this outcome, and what does it mean for Africa’s approach to plastic pollution and circular economy initiatives?

I saw this coming. The debate over plastic on the global stage lately has been so heated and intense with no one able to come up with substantial proof strong enough to power an agreement. Africa has all it takes to turn things around. The continent should embrace the circular economy. This is key, and for me, it's the most important step that needs to be taken.  African nations can come together on the platform of AMCEN/AU to agree on regional design standards (recyclability criteria), minimum recycled content for key formats, and a common EPR template under AfCFTA.  In doing so, it will be important to understand consumers' preferences and leverage them to determine design standards for content packaging.  African nations can use trade policy to curb imports of non-compliant single-use formats. Come up with a regional roadmap or determined actions that will be easy to adapt in the future should a treaty eventually become possible. 

Looking ahead, what are your hopes for Nigeria’s circular economy transition over the next decade?

I hope to see every Local Government Area with functional transfer or aggregation hubs, composting facilities or anaerobic digesters for organics, and at least one Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) serving each street or cluster of 50–100 households, markets, and schools. I also envision mature and dignified informal collectors’ cooperatives to ensure proper coordination of activities and engagements. In addition, schools, market operators, and communities should be able to run circular economy programs voluntarily, without the need for enforcement. Finally, I hope to see design standards that make more than 80% of plastic packaging in Nigeria actually recyclable or reusable.