Indorama Ventures, partners plan large-scale rPET production facility in Nigeria

NIGERIA – Indorama Ventures, Nigerian Breweries and Genesis Energy have announced a strategic partnership to develop a large-scale recycled PET (rPET) production facility in Lagos.

The proposed plant is expected to produce up to 45,000 tonnes of food-grade rPET resin annually, positioning it among the largest recycling facilities of its kind on the African continent.

Operations are targeted to begin in the first half of 2027, subject to regulatory approvals, technical validation and final project implementation.

The facility will focus on converting post-consumer PET bottles into high-quality recycled resin suitable for food and beverage packaging applications.

By expanding local recycling capacity, the partners aim to address rising demand for recycled content while reducing plastic waste entering landfills and the environment.

Industry stakeholders say the project represents an important step in strengthening Nigeria’s circular plastics economy, while also creating employment opportunities through improved waste collection and processing systems.

As part of the collaboration, Nigerian Breweries, the local operating company of Heineken, will contribute market insight and engage with Nigeria’s beverage value chain to support the integration of recycled materials into packaging supply chains.

The initiative aligns with National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, introduced by the Nigerian government in 2020.

The policy aims to strengthen waste collection, recycling infrastructure and circular economy initiatives, with a national goal that all plastic packaging be recyclable, biodegradable, compostable or reusable by 2030.

Beyond recycling capacity, the project is also expected to contribute to broader environmental and socio-economic objectives by encouraging higher PET bottle collection rates and diverting plastic waste away from landfill.

The partners say community engagement and awareness programs will also play a role in promoting best practices in waste management and recycling.

Elsewhere in the country’s packaging and supply chain sector, Tomato Jos has been working to address post-harvest losses in the country’s tomato industry.

According to the company, a large share of Nigeria’s tomato harvest is lost before reaching consumers due to challenges in logistics, storage and packaging.

The company has been collaborating with smallholder farmers to improve supply chain efficiency through better transport packaging, modern processing technologies and farmer education programs.

In another sustainability initiative, Smartfill and DY|DX recently open-sourced the design and technical architecture of their dispensing systems for liquid fast-moving consumer goods.

Developed in South Africa in collaboration with Unilever and Bopinc, the refill system aims to replace single-use sachets by enabling retailers and consumers to refill reusable bottles.

Together, these initiatives highlight a growing push across Africa to strengthen circular packaging systems, reduce plastic waste and improve supply chain efficiency.

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