Nestlé Nigeria and its coalition partners have announced the recovery of 4,556 kilogrammes of waste during the 2026 World Environment Day community sensitisation and clean-up campaign conducted across 12 locations nationwide.

The initiative brought together 424 volunteers, communities and stakeholders in coordinated action to support environmental stewardship and responsible waste management.

According to reports from the African Clean-Up Initiative (ACI) and the Recyclers Association of Nigeria (RAN), a total of 4,507.8kg of solid waste and 48.2kg of recyclable waste were recovered across Lagos, Abuja, Agbara, Jos, Kano, Enugu, Awka, Ota, Abaji, Sagamu, Port Harcourt and Ibadan.

In a statement signed by the Corporate Affairs Manager, Toju Egbebi, the recovered waste was channelled through appropriate recycling and disposal pathways, contributing to cleaner public spaces and supporting broader efforts to reduce waste leakage into the environment.

The statement noted that the nationwide activation was driven by Nestlé Cares volunteers, the company’s employee volunteering programme, alongside volunteers from the 15 organisations participating in the coalition unveiled ahead of World Environment Day.

Across Lagos, Abuja, Agbara, Jos, Kano, Enugu, Awka, Ota, Abaji, Sagamu, Port Harcourt and Ibadan, volunteers worked alongside community members in structured clean-up and sensitization activities designed to strengthen environmental awareness and encourage responsible waste management practices.

The statement stressed that the initiative was delivered through a coordinated multi-stakeholder framework, bringing together government institutions, regulators, industry platforms, development partners and recyclers to support implementation and ensure alignment with national environmental priorities.

Speaking on the initiative, Lead Corporate Communications, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, explained that environmental progress is most sustainable when communities see themselves as active participants rather than observers.

“What encouraged us most this year was not only the volume of waste recovered, but the willingness of volunteers, partners and community members to work together towards a shared goal. Lasting environmental progress depends on that sense of collective ownership, and it is often through small actions taken together that meaningful change begins,” she said.

At the Abuja activation, the Minister of Environment, who was represented by the Director of the Pollution Control and Environmental Health Department, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs. Adeola Omotunde, emphasised that addressing environmental challenges requires consistent action at all levels.

She said initiatives such as this demonstrate how government, private sector and communities can work together to drive responsible environmental practices and deliver real impact.

The representative of the Country Manager of the National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP), Mrs. Esther Chibueyin Fagbo, said Nigeria’s plastic pollution challenge requires bold and collaborative action, noting that this initiative demonstrates the value of bringing together communities, partners and the private sector around a shared goal.

“We are proud to have supported this effort and look forward to continuing our collaboration to advance circular economy solutions that create environmental and economic value,” she stated.