National Assembly passes Nigerian Plastics Recycling Bill 2025 aimed at cleaning up the environment and generating some wealth at the same time -------Ayo Akinfe

[1] Nigeria is a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement, which commits us to generating clean energy, reducing our carbon footprint and protecting the environment. Littering the country with plastic bottles is a total breach of that protocol

[2] More to the point, we are a mono-economy, almost totally dependent on crude oil for our survival. Plastics offers us a major revenue source. Are Nigerians aware of the fact that the global plastics economy is worth about $712bn anually?

[3] Do you know that Nigeria is number nine in the world when it comes to the amount of accumulated plastic waste? Given our population of 200m, this is not surprising

[4] Nigeria generates about 32m tonnes of solid waste per year. Of that figure, plastic constitutes 2.5m tonnes. I cannot believe that we generate more plastic waste then industrialised nations like India, Brazil, Germany, the US, the UK, Canada, France, Japan and Italy

[5] Most of this plastic finds it way to our coast. It is only a matter of time before Apapa port is inaccessible because of plastic debris. Do you know that 90% of the world’s sea birds have eaten some form of plastic?

[6] Now, the good news is that people are doing something about it. Adidas for instance has partnered with an NGO called Parley for the Oceans to turn marine pollution into sportswear.  Adidas currently makes about 11m pairs of shoes with Ocean Plastic

[7] It is time Nigeria stepped up to the plate too. We have the plastic waste, so I want to see us invite Adidas to Nigeria to come and open a plant to manufacture shoes from plastic

[8] For me, this task falls to two gentlemen. Governor Babajide Sanwoolu of Lagos State and Governor Alex Otti of Abia State. Sanwoolu because the waste is on his shores and Governor Otti because Aba is the centre of the Nigerian shoe industry

[9] It is no accident that Lagos and Aba are the two filthiest cities in Nigeria. They are full of plastic and are crying out for recycling plants. Can our National Assembly please put together proposals for these two governors and get on with wooing the likes of Adidas, Puma, Nike, etc immediately

[10] Anyone who has seen the current state of Aba will know that the city needs a comprehensive economic regeneration plan that is environment-based. Personally, I think the city actually needs a mayor as its challenges are unique. However, let us start off with a plastic recycling plant. Governors Otti and Sanwoolu, over to the two of you. Personally, I would love to see one plant in each state, with a rail link connecting them