On Tuesday, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, revealed that the Federal Government is actively working on implementing a ban on single-use plastics across all Ministries, Departments, and Agencies. Salako further emphasized that the ban is already effective in the Ministry of Environment. Additionally, he announced the government’s intentions to establish recycling plants in each of the 774 local government areas in Nigeria, aiming to foster a circular economy.
These remarks were made by the minister during the second edition of the Chemical Handlers and Users’ Workshop held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Approximately two weeks after the Lagos State Government, led by Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab, declared a ban on the use and distribution of Styrofoam and other single-use plastics throughout the state, the Minister of State for Environment, Dr. Iziaq Kunle Salako, has announced plans for a similar ban at the federal level. This move was disclosed during the second edition of the Chemical Handlers and Users’ Workshop organized by the Ogun State Government and the State Environmental Protection Agency.
Salako disclosed that the ban on single-use plastics has already been implemented within the Ministry of Environment, and a memorandum will soon be presented to the Federal Executive Council to extend the ban across all Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs), programs, and projects. The minister highlighted this initiative in his keynote address, emphasizing that the Federal Ministry of Environment is set to commence the full implementation of the circular economy roadmap for Nigeria this year as part of the eight presidential priority areas.
In addressing challenges to implementing a circular economy in Nigeria, Salako identified inadequate policy, legal and regulatory frameworks, insufficient funds, and a lack of recycling technologies as obstacles. He further noted challenges such as a dearth of information on alternatives, low public awareness, and inadequate data. Despite these challenges, the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, remains committed to achieving a clean, circular, and thriving economy. To accomplish this, the ministry is taking proactive measures to strengthen policies, institutional frameworks, and regulations to address identified gaps and promote sound circular economy principles and practices throughout the country.
The Ministry of Environment has outlined several initiatives to address environmental challenges, including the promotion of cleaner production and circular economy principles among manufacturers and producers. Additionally, plans are underway to implement a waste-to-wealth entrepreneurship program targeting vulnerable groups, establish a national plastic waste recycling program with at least one plant in each of the 774 local government areas, and introduce community-based waste management programs involving local communities in sorting, segregation, composting, and recycling.
The ministry aims to enhance consumer awareness of sustainable purchasing practices, fostering demand for environmentally friendly products and services. Notably, the Circular Nigeria Committee has been established to devise innovative and scalable methods for implementing the Nigeria Circular Economy Roadmap. The ban on single-use plastics has already been instituted within the ministry, and efforts are underway to extend this ban to all federal government departments, agencies, programs, and projects.
These measures signify the government’s commitment to addressing the plastic waste issue, emphasizing that the current waste management approach is unsustainable. The ministry’s proactive approach includes seeking Federal Executive Council approval for the ban on single-use plastics across all government entities.
The workshop’s theme aligns with sustainable development goals and reflects President Tinubu’s economic revitalization agenda. The Commissioner for Environment in Ogun State highlighted the importance of responsible management of chemicals and waste, especially in an industrially developing region. The Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency is actively working to ensure proper handling and disposal of chemical wastes for a healthy and safe environment.
The recent ban on styrofoam in Lagos State has garnered both criticism and praise, with some expressing concerns about the abrupt nature of the implementation process.