The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) has commissioned and handed over a Pilot Plastic Waste Collection Centre to the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) in the Jabi District of the FCT.

The initiative is funded by the Government of Japan and implemented under UNIDO’s project entitled “Promoting Sustainable Plastic Value Chains through Circular Economy Practices.”

The project reflects a shared commitment to reducing plastic leakage into the environment while promoting resource efficiency, innovation, and inclusive industrial development.

Speaking during the commissioning ceremony, the Director and Representative, UNIDO Sub-Regional Office, Ambassador Philbert Johnson, noted that “plastic pollution remains one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time”.

Johnson, however, said that it also present an opportunity to rethink how nations design, use, and manage materials, saying that through circular economy approaches, waste can be transformed into value, creating jobs, strengthening industries, and protecting the environment. “This pilot facility is a practical demonstration of that vision.”

He said, “Established in close collaboration with the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB), the centre is designed to improve the collection, sorting, and aggregation of plastic waste, while strengthening recycling value chains and supporting livelihoods.

“It also forms part of a broader, integrated approach under this project, which includes: Supporting the development of implementation guidelines for Nigeria’s National Policy on Plastic Waste Management;

“Strengthening recycling capacity at the municipal level in Abuja and Lagos; and Demonstrating innovative recycling technologies and resource-efficient practices.”

According to the UNIDO Director, the facility will serve not only as an operational collection hub, but also as a model for scaling up best practices across cities in Nigeria.

Johnson said while AEPB played a central role by providing the land, infrastructure, and operational leadership for the facility, UNIDO, with the generous support of the Government of Japan, provided the necessary equipment, technical support, and capacity-building to ensure that the centre operates efficiently, safely, and sustainably.

He said the facility is equipped with modern tools and systems including baling and crushing equipment, collection tricycles, and data collection mechanisms to support efficient operations and improve material recovery.

“This initiative directly contributes to Nigeria’s development priorities and the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly: SDG 9 – Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production, SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.”

In his remarks, Japan Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, said his Government through its Supplementary Budget, funded the UNIDO-led initiative with over $2 million.

Suzuki said Nigeria, with its dynamic economy and growing urban centers, grapples with the mounting issue of plastic waste, which pollutes waterways, harms wildlife, and threatens public health.

“In Abuja and Lagos alone, millions of tons of plastics enter the environment annually, underscoring the need for robust systems to capture and recycle these materials.”

Earlier, the AEPB Director, Mrs Kate Ogbonna, described the recycling facility as an important milestone in the collective effort to build a cleaner, healthier, plastic-free and more sustainable Federal Capital Territory.

She said the project stands as a shining example of what can be achieved through strong partnerships and shared commitment.