The Federal Government has raised an alarm over the growing environmental threat posed by marine plastic pollution, revealing that about 14 million tonnes of plastic are discharged into the world’s oceans annually, with Nigeria’s coastlines significantly impacted. This revelation was made by the Minister of Environment, Malam Balarabe Abbas-Lawal, during a high-level workshop on Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Abuja.
Speaking through the Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall, Saleh Abubakar, the Minister underscored the urgency of adopting sustainable policies to curb the environmental menace, which threatens Nigeria’s 850-kilometre Atlantic coastline.
The event was jointly organised by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the PROTEGO Project – a regional initiative aimed at preventing marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea, particularly in Nigeria and Ghana.
“The urgency of our mission cannot be overstated,” Lawal stressed. “Plastic pollution is not only degrading our marine ecosystems and threatening biodiversity but is also harming public health and the aesthetic value of our coastlines. This is a global challenge, but our response must begin locally.”
He added that the PROTEGO Project, launched in July 2024 and scheduled to run until June 2027, would serve as a vehicle for reducing plastic waste leakage into oceans, fostering circular economy strategies, and strengthening waste management systems.
A key focus of the government’s response is the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility — a policy that shifts the environmental cost of plastic waste to the producers. According to the Minister, EPR will compel producers to take full responsibility for the lifecycle of their products, from design and manufacturing to post-consumer disposal and recycling.
“This policy is not just an environmental necessity. It’s a paradigm shift that redefines responsibility in product development and waste management,” Lawal noted.
The Minister also revealed that the National Guidelines on EPR for the packaging sector will come into effect later in 2025, alongside the draft National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2025. These frameworks will make EPR mandatory for all producers, importers, and brand owners, with a particular emphasis on phasing out problematic materials like single-use plastics.
Speaking at the same event, NESREA Director-General, Prof. Innocent Barikor, emphasised that the workshop was a strategic move to deepen stakeholders’ understanding of EPR and its potential to address Nigeria’s growing marine waste problem.
“Marine plastic pollution continues to pose significant threats to Nigeria’s ecosystems and economic sustainability,” Barikor said. “EPR systems, when properly implemented, place responsibility squarely on the producers, encouraging sustainable design and reducing the burden on government waste management systems.”
He added that EPR has been adopted in many developed economies as a proactive tool to combat waste and environmental degradation, and Nigeria must not be left behind.
In a technical presentation, the Programme and Strategy Manager of WASTE Africa Nigeria, Gabriel Onyebuolise, noted that PROTEGO’s core objective is to reduce marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea and bolster local policy frameworks like the EPR to tackle the crisis sustainably.
“Nigeria’s leadership in implementing the EPR policy framework will go a long way in stemming the tide of marine pollution in West Africa,” Onyebuolise stated.
The NESREA Act of 2007 laid the groundwork for Nigeria’s environmental regulation and has since empowered the agency to take bold steps toward enforcing sustainability. However, with mounting evidence of the scale of marine plastic pollution and its destructive consequences, stakeholders now agree that Nigeria must fast-track its transition to a circular economy.
As part of the government’s long-term environmental strategy, officials say EPR enforcement will be backed by increased monitoring, industry engagement, and legislative support.
The workshop concluded with a call to action for producers, environmentalists, and the public to align efforts in reducing plastic waste, promoting recycling, and safeguarding Nigeria’s marine biodiversity for future generations.