The Federal Government has announced plans to implement full enforcement of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework by 2025, aiming to reduce plastic pollution and transition Nigeria towards a circular economy.
Minister of Environment Balarabe Lawal disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja at a capacity-building workshop on the implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) in Nigeria, organised by the PROTEGO Project in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
The workshop, themed “Strengthening Nigeria’s Capacity on EPR Implementation”, is part of the PROTEGO Project, an initiative for the prevention of marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea. The project is funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment and implemented by adelphi Research, Germany.
The minister noted that producers, importers and brand owners would be legally required to take responsibility for the collection, recycling, and proper disposal of their post-consumer products, especially plastic packaging and other single-use materials.
Represented by the Director-General of the National Agency for the Great Green Wall (NAGGW), Saleh Abubakar, the minister warned that Nigeria, with over 850 kilometres of Atlantic coastline, is vulnerable to marine plastic pollution.
He cited the forthcoming National Guideline on EPR for the Packaging Sector, set to take effect in 2025, and the draft National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2025, which he said would make EPR mandatory for all companies in the packaging sector.
He said, “We’re talking about a model in which producers will be held accountable from cradle to finish. So, producers will no longer plan to put products in the market as they did before. They must now also begin to plan for what happens to the product throughout its entire lifecycle, including its end-of-life stage.
“If you’re producing, say, electrical equipment, let’s use computers as an example, the new reality is that as a producer, you must take responsibility not just for selling the product but also for when the product becomes obsolete or unusable. When that computer becomes stale or useless, you must already have a plan in place. That’s the new approach. The idea is to ensure we provoke and build a circular economy.
“So, producers must now be involved in the process of retrieving these products from the environment, especially after their useful life ends. These end-of-life products are the ones littering our environment. When we talk about marine pollution, for instance, it’s plastics that end up in rivers and oceans; those are products that should have been accounted for.
“We must engage producers in such a manner that they begin to take responsibility for the entire life cycle of their products. No more dumping into the system and then sitting back in their offices, thinking all is well. That’s the importance of this shift.
He assured that the Federal Government remains committed to creating the enabling environment for environmental innovation, investor confidence, and long-term sustainability.
Speaking, Director-General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Prof. Innocent Barikor, said that the workshop was not only timely but also strategic, especially as Nigeria continues to face the growing challenge of marine pollution and plastic waste.
He observed that these issues pose serious threats to the country’s ecosystems, public health, and economic sustainability.
According to him, EPR has emerged globally as a proven and proactive policy instrument to address such challenges, adding that it places the responsibility of post-consumer waste squarely where it belongs.
He said the model encourages sustainable product design, promotes accountability, and reduces the burden on public waste management systems.
Barikor explained that the workshop was carefully designed to deepen the collective understanding of EPR systems and to equip stakeholders with practical tools to develop, refine, and implement effective EPR programmes.
Head of Programme for Green and Circular Economy at Adelphi, Germany, Amar Munnolimath, said the project is designed to provide financial support for setting up waste management and marine litter prevention systems in Nigeria.
He noted that the goal is to ensure these systems are financially sustainable and can continue to operate even after the project concludes.
Munnolimath also said Adelphi is working closely with NESREA and the Federal Ministry of Environment, not only to develop strategies and action plans, but also to ensure their implementation within the lifespan of the project.
