The Foundation for Earths Rights Assembly (FERA) on Thursday raised concerns over the inefficient waste management system in the country, blaming indiscriminate waste disposal, particularly plastic pollution, as responsible for Nigeria’s environmental challenges.
The Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) noted that plastics, particularly single-use plastic pollution, are visible in all cities of Nigeria due to the inefficiency of the waste management system.
Addressing newsmen in Benin during an event organised by Foundation for Earths Rights Assembly (FERA) in commemoration of the 2025 World Environment Day with theme, “End Plastic Pollution in Nigeria”, Executive Director, Foundation for Earths Rights Assembly (FERA), Nosa Tokunbor said there is the urgent need to halt plastic pollution in Nigeria and globally.
Tokunbor said that Nigerians must reduce their dependence on plastic usage to save the earth and find alternative to plastic, which he noted is harmful to human health.
The environmentalist identified poor waste management as largely responsible for plastic pollution, which he noted contributed immensely to climate change.
“It is estimated that 19-23 million tonnes of plastic leaks into aquatic
ecosystems annually from lakes to rivers to seas from land based sources. Exacerbated by contributions from sea-based sources, this combined plastic leakage has a major impact on ecosystems’ economies and society, including on human health.
“Countries worldwide are now negotiating an international legally binding agreement to end plastic pollution. Against this backdrop, this year’s World Environment Day will focus on the ways to prevent plastic waste from escaping into the environment such as curbing pollution from single-use plastic products and redesigning plastic products so they last longer.,”Tokunbor said.
Tokunbor, who said that many countries lack the infrastructure to collect and recycle plastic waste, noted that recycling alone can not put an end to plastic pollution in the country and globally.
According to him, only 9% of plastic are actually recycled globally because many plastic products are not designed to be reused and recycled.
Commenting on the way forward, Tokunbor said tackling the rising environmental plastic pollution in the country requires development co-operation, noting can help scale up policy efforts and resource mobilization.
Tokunbor added that ambitious policies are needed to end plastic pollution in developing countries like Nigeria, saying, ” Developing countries would reap important benefits but may lack sufficient resources to implement the necessary policies.
“Further international policy action is needed at the global level to end plastic pollution as reflected in UNEA Resolution 5/14 (United Nations Environmental Assembly, 2022) aimed at negotiating an international legally binding agreement. “he said.
