Government leaders, industry executives, civil society organisations, and international development partners have stressed that the waste economy can simultaneously address environmental challenges and unlock significant economic growth.
This was the submission at the sixth Lagos Waste Forum, an influential platform driving Nigeria’s transition to a circular and resource-efficient economy.
Organised by the SWEEP Foundation NG and co-sponsored by UNIDO, the European Union and CocaCola Nigeria, the 2025 edition, themed “The Power of Nigeria’s Waste Economy,” convened top minds in sustainability, environmental governance, and innovative waste management.
The Lagos State Governor, Special Adviser on the Environment, Mr Olakunle Rotimi-Akodu, emphasised the city’s central role in shaping Nigeria’s circular economy.
“Lagos generates vast quantities of waste, but within this challenge lies a significant opportunity — one realised through structure, innovation, and entrepreneurial intelligence,” he said.
He highlighted the state’s investments, progressive policies and strategic partnerships that are advancing a shift from traditional waste disposal to modern circular systems built on recycling, resource recovery, and green job creation.
Sanwo-Olu said agencies like LAWMA, working alongside the private sector, are building an integrated framework that positions Lagos as a hub of circular economy innovation.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to reforms and initiatives that transform waste into a driver of economic resilience.
In his welcome remarks, the President/Chief Executive Officer, SWEEP Foundation NG, Obuesi Phillips, underscored the importance of collaboration between government, private enterprise, and partners, including the EU, UNIDO, and Coca-Cola.
He said Nigeria’s waste sector has vast untapped potential, describing dumpsites as emerging “waste mines” that feed materials back into productive value chains.
Phillips called for enabling policies, financial mechanisms such as a dedicated Green Bank offering single-digit interest loans to waste enterprises, and the eventual creation of a Ministry of Waste Resources to reflect Lagos’s leadership in recycling and environmental innovation.
Delivering the forum’s lecture, the Ogun State Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya, stressed that tackling Nigeria’s environmental challenges requires more than policy declarations.
He said solutions must be guided by research, innovation, and evidence-based interventions tailored to Nigeria’s local contexts.
Oresanya called for capacity building across all tiers of government and advocated for a technically skilled environmental workforce.
Delivering the keynote, a representative of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA),
The FBRA representative highlighted Nigeria’s yearly production of 32 million tonnes of waste with 13 per cent plastic and its economic promise.
Citing the Federal Government and UNDP’s Imagine Nigeria report, the alliance pointed to a green economy potential of up to $250 billion, with Lagos alone generating N18 billion in recycling value in 2021.
“Circularity is not just an ecological necessity, but a strategic pathway to jobs, innovation, and environmental protection,” the FBRA representative said.
The Forum’s sessions tackled financing for circular enterprises, waste-to-wealth entrepreneurship, women’s leadership in environmental governance, packaging innovation, state-level policy alignment, and Nigeria’s integration with global sustainability standards.
The sixth Lagos Waste Forum closed with strong pledges of collaboration among government, private sector, and development partners.
Stakeholders agreed to prioritise financing, technology adoption, capacity building, and community engagement as Nigeria accelerates towards a resource-efficient, climate-smart, and economically vibrant waste ecosystem.
