As the world observes World Environment Day, environmentalists and corporate brands in Nigeria have called for the commercialisation of plastic recycling and the expansion of tree-planting initiatives to promote sustainable environmental practices across the country.
World Environment Day (WED) is an annual event celebrated every year on June 5th to raise awareness and encourage action for environmental protection. During a tree-planting event held in Lagos to mark the occasion, environmental advocates from the One Million Tree Initiative (OMTI) collaborated with leading corporate organisations such as CE Power Solutions, Extel Premium Table Water, GSR 360 Ltd, SMP Media Group, and the Rotary Club of Lekki Phase 1. Together, they emphasised the urgent need for a structured and incentivised approach to managing plastic waste.
Speaking on this year’s theme, ‘Beat Plastic Pollution,’ Misty Uba from OMTI and the Chief Operations Officer of GSR 360 highlighted the significant threat posed by single-use plastics in Lagos, a city that generates over 15,000 metric tons of plastic waste daily. He warned, “Plastic waste doesn’t just vanish, so we must make a concerted effort to tackle this issue from the government to citizens, non-governmental organisations, students, and children. It takes over 400 years for a single piece of plastic to fully degrade. Every bottle or sachet left in the environment today is a burden on future generations.”
While some supermarkets and pharmacies in Lagos have begun charging customers for plastic packaging to encourage the use of reusable bags or paper alternatives, Uba stressed that policy implementation must extend beyond good intentions. “Good policies are not enough. As the African adage goes, ‘Good intentions don’t plant corn.’ We must be intentional and enforce policies that reduce plastic waste at the source,” he emphasised.
Uba proposed accelerating climate action schemes as a way to address the plastic waste crisis, which is contributing to flooding in Lagos and other parts of the country. He suggested introducing initiatives such as the School for Plastic and Cash for Plastic programs, which have been successful worldwide, to involve individuals in removing plastics from the environment. He also mentioned the Plastic-for-Fuel Initiative, which could incentivise factories by providing free fuel for every ton of plastic they return to recycling plants. “We must make waste profitable. Once people understand that plastic has value, we will see a significant reduction in littering and clogged drains.”
In addition to recycling efforts, the discussion also highlighted tree planting as a long-term environmental solution. This year, OMTI and its partners expanded their tree-planting campaigns beyond Lagos to Port Harcourt and Asaba, introducing cash crops such as mango, cocoa, guava, and almond trees into the initiative. Ugo Ogoke from SMP Media Group stated, “By planting trees that provide both environmental benefits and economic value, we give communities more reasons to protect them.”
Lady Cheta Nwabuike from CE Power Solutions confirmed that the push for commercial recycling and tree planting could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s battle against plastic pollution. She remarked, “With a population of over 22 million, if we can get people to plant one million trees, it will make a huge impact in our country.”
“Our company, CE Power Solutions, takes sustainability seriously. Caring for the environment is at the core of our business. Besides partnering with various organisations to ensure that we act responsibly towards the environment, our operations are aimed at addressing environmental issues arising from our various businesses. We contribute by replacing fossil fuels with natural gas for power generation, which significantly reduces carbon emissions. Gas is one of our main resources in Nigeria, and we have substantial deposits in the Niger Delta area. Instead of wasting it through flaring, CE Power collects and compresses that gas to convert it into clean energy, and we have been doing this for the past 12 years.”
