For many Nigerians, plastic waste is more than an eyesore.
From sachet-water nylon and discarded bottles clogging drainage channels to plastic bags floating on waterways and beaches, the waste has become part of everyday life — with consequences that can be felt whenever heavy rainfall turns blocked drains into flooded streets.
Now, the Federal Government says it is taking stronger steps to confront the growing plastic pollution challenge.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, NESREA, has unveiled a five-year project to implement the National Environmental Plastic Waste Control Regulations, 2026, aimed at promoting sustainable management of plastic waste across the country.
The project, funded by the Global Environment Facility, GEF, implemented by the United Nations Environment Programme, UNEP, and executed by NESREA, is designed to tackle plastic pollution from production to final disposal.
Representing the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, at the inauguration in Abuja, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Salihu Usman, reiterated the Federal Government’s commitment to building a cleaner and healthier environment for Nigerians.
The new regulations provide a framework for managing plastics throughout their life cycle — from production and consumption to collection, recycling and final disposal.
For communities living around drains, rivers and coastal areas, the need for such measures is becoming increasingly urgent.
Plastic waste is routinely found in drainage channels, waterways, rivers and the sea, where it can threaten aquatic life, contaminate the environment and create risks for communities whose livelihoods depend on water resources.
The Director-General of NESREA, Professor Innocent Barikor, described the inauguration as a major step towards translating Nigeria’s plastic waste policy into practical action.
According to him, the project is expected not only to reduce plastic pollution but also to create employment opportunities for Nigerians across the plastic value chain.
This means that what is currently regarded largely as waste could become an economic opportunity — from waste collection and sorting to recycling and the production of new materials.
The European Union Representative, Massimo de Luca, said the inauguration demonstrated Nigeria’s growing commitment to policies aimed at protecting the environment and promoting a safer and healthier society.
For the project to succeed, however, government regulation alone may not be enough.
The Director of Inspection and Enforcement at NESREA, Dr Christopher Beka, stressed the need for all stakeholders to work together to achieve the objectives of the initiative.
Government agencies, manufacturers, consumers, waste managers, recyclers and ordinary citizens all have roles to play in ensuring that plastics do not end up where they can harm people and the environment.
Stakeholders at the event therefore pledged their support for the implementation of the regulations, with a shared commitment to making Nigeria safer from the growing threat of plastic pollution.
The challenge now is to ensure that the new five-year initiative moves beyond policy documents and reaches the streets, markets, drainage channels, rivers and communities where Nigerians encounter plastic waste every day.
