Lagos State government has said that through promoting a circular economy, it hopes to achieve a better management of waste and attain a waste free city.

The Chairman, Technical Committee on Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023/Permanent Secretary, Office of Environmental Services, Dr. Omobolaji Gaji, stated this at a press briefing to announce a two-day conference on circular economy tagged, ‘Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023’.

Gaji, who said that the conference would avail Lagos an opportunity to highlight how it is transitioning towards the circular economy and how businesses and citizens are co-creating innovations, stated: “We desire that the Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot will highlight the critical role SMEs play inHe added that the Circular Economy Hotspot is an initiative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to foster co-creation and highlight cities and societies’ transition towards circular economy.

“Lagos State, under the leadership of Mr. Governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, had on December 2, 2020, organised a roundtable on Circular Economy, bringing together all stakeholders, businesses and citizens on this journey towards a resourceful and waste free economy.

“Since the roundtable, citizens and businesses have continued the conversation on how to utilise the waste and resources in Lagos with our Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) at the heart of this discussion as well as our industry.

“To demonstrate government’s commitment, a technical working group on Circular Lagos was constituted with the objective of driving the framework and a roadmap for the transition,” he said.

Gaji was optimistic that the initiative would also allow the state government to deepen the conversation as well as build on climate adaptation policy, 30-year Lagos Development Plan and the role of each and every stakeholder in building a sustainable city.

“Lagos, as a sub national in the forefront of creating models for development which other states and cities in Africa emulate, is at it again as the first host of this laudable event in Africa. The Circular Economy Hotspot had previously been hosted in the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Catalonia Spain and Dublin, Ireland this April,” he added.

The Country Representative, Africa Circular Economy Network, (ACEN)/Board Member Circular Economy Innovation Partnership (CELP), Mr. Abayomi Magbagbeola, explained that the shift to a circular economy would help Lagos tackle several challenges such as pollution, unemployment and resource scarcity.

His words: “With our circular economy strategy, we aim to create an ecosystem where waste is seen as a resource, not as a problem. Part of our responsibility is to foster a sustainable society where everyone has a role to play to ensure a safer Lagos.”

The Chapter Lead, Africa Circular Economy Network Nigeria, Mrs. Kemi Ajakaiye, confirmed that the #LCEH2023 initiative is first of its kind in West Africa, with the aim to transition from a linear ‘take-make-waste’ economy to a circular ‘reduce-reuse-recycle’ economy.