Nigeria Circular Economy Week: Experts Demand Government Support to Unlock Waste-to-Wealth Potential
Stakeholders across the waste management value chain have called for stronger government backing and policy stability to unlock Nigeria’s growing waste-to-wealth potential at the ongoing Nigeria Circular Economy Week in Lagos. The four-day event, holding at the Lagos Continental Hotel, has brought together local operators, foreign investors, academics and development partners to chart a sustainable path for large-scale mixed waste processing in Nigeria.
At a working session on Tuesday, Founder and Director of SweepSmart, Mr Niels van den Hoek, said discussions focused on building a viable business model that can process waste at scale. According to him, while the opportunities in Nigeria are enormous, financial viability remains a key hurdle. He noted that with the right structure, a single facility could create over 300 jobs and convert mixed waste into valuable resources, but low tipping fees and limited government incentives are slowing expansion plans.
Painting a stark picture of the country’s waste crisis, van den Hoek said about 70 per cent of Nigeria’s waste remains uncollected, while much of the collected waste ends up decomposing in dumpsites, causing environmental and health hazards. “If waste is properly processed, it becomes revenue, jobs, and cleaner communities,” he stressed, adding that his company is partnering with Nigerian stakeholders and seeking funding to conduct a feasibility study that could pave the way for operations within two years.
Environmental chemist Dr Abdul-Ganiyu Adelopo said the broader vision is to establish an advanced material recovery facility that transforms household waste into refuse-derived fuel, compost, biogas and black soldier fly protein — each with its own commercial value chain. However, he warned that inconsistent policies, particularly around tariffs and tipping fees, could discourage long-term investors. “No serious investment survives without an enabling environment. A change in government should not disrupt the fundamentals of a waste management policy,” he said, urging tax incentives and import support for equipment.
On the local front, the President of SWEEP Foundation Nigeria, Mr. Obuesi Phillips, revealed plans to establish a large-scale mixed waste processing plant in Ogun State, targeting over 300 tonnes daily. Despite challenges such as unreliable electricity and logistics bottlenecks, he expressed optimism. “We are Nigerians; we are survivors,” he said, calling for expanded government oversight, funding support and greater private sector investment. As conversations continue, stakeholders agree that transforming Nigeria’s waste crisis into sustainable wealth will depend on strong partnerships, stable policies and a shared national commitment to environmental reform.
source: punch