United Nations entities in Nigeria, Nigeria Environmental Society (NES) and other multi-level stakeholders gathered at the UN House in Abuja on Friday to create awareness on Plastic Pollution and proffer cutting-edge remedy to reducing its menace.
Spark News Naija reports that the event was organised by the UN and its entities to commemorate the 2025 World Environment Day on the theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution”
In his opening remarks, the UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Malick noted that this year’s theme is not a call to despair, but a call to action on ending the menace of plastic pollution in Nigeria.
Malick emphasized that every piece of plastic that littered our surroundings or clones our waterways, represents not just an environmental damage, but a loss of potential.
He lamented that plastic pollution is threatening the ecosystem and livelihoods in Nigeria, saying “On the river bank of the Niger Delta to the beach of Lagos, we see the visible pollution that plastic emitting.
“Nigeria has a lot of plastic, but if only a small portion is recycled it will be a huge economic gain. Globally, the UN is advancing change through its environment programmes in tackling plastic pollution”.
The UN Coordinator stressed, “We must act now to turn the tide, plastic pollution is a deadly epidemic”.
Also speaking, the President of Nigerian Environmental Society (NES), Dr. Efegbidiki Okobia, said waste management, resulting in plastic pollution, is a crisis in Nigeria and that the cutting-edge solution starts with us.
Dr. Okobia noted that there is a gap between the segregation of plastic waste at home and the collections and the disposal, saying that is where the challenge lies.
“If we must put a stop to plastic pollution, we must look at the chain and see where the gaps are. When you separate your waste, who evacuates them and where are they evacuating them to, is it to a recircling facility? That’s the challenge!
“So, we should look at the issues and analyse them and look at how we can cover those gaps and make it work”, he said.
The NES President maintained that everyone of us, including those in government, private sector and civil society groups must come together, noting that the government alone cannot do it.
Our Correspondent reports that UNDP, UNIDO, ILO, NESREA, GreenHubAfrica, Sterling One Foundation, WEDex, among others were represented at the event.
World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated annually on 5 June.