Nigeria, ECOWAS chart new course for plastic waste management across West Africa

NIGERIA – Nigeria and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have unveiled a coordinated plan to tackle the escalating plastic waste crisis, warning that poor plastic disposal practices are increasingly threatening food security, public health and economic stability in the region.

Speaking at the opening ceremony for the validation of the ECOWAS Regional Action Plan on plastic management and the bloc’s initiative on economic integration through trade, environment and agriculture, Nigeria’s Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, stressed the urgency of collective action.

He disclosed that West Africa generates more than two million tonnes of plastic waste annually, much of which finds its way into rivers, farmlands, and coastal ecosystems.

Lawal warned that the unchecked pollution is undermining climate resilience, contaminating food chains, and endangering livelihoods.

He described the validation of the Regional Action Plan as a key step toward establishing a harmonized framework for sustainable plastic production and consumption.

The plan prioritizes stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems, expansion of circular economy value chains, development of regional standards, improved compliance mechanisms, and support for innovation-driven green jobs.

He noted that ECOWAS is adopting an integrated approach that connects trade, agriculture, environmental standards, and industrialization.

Nigeria, he said, remains committed to aligning national policies with the regional roadmap while collaborating with member states to harmonize regulations and build capacity.

ECOWAS Commission Vice President, Mrs Damtien Tchintchibidja, linked the region’s worsening plastic pollution problem to broader vulnerabilities.

Citing the 2024 FAO State of Food Security Report, she highlighted that 12 per cent of West Africa’s population is currently food insecure.

“The causes can be attributed to adverse effects of climate change, poor functioning of regional markets, policy incoherence, restrictive trade policies, and conflicts,” she said.

She emphasized that the Commission is pushing forward regional strategies that strengthen resilience to climate shocks, promote renewable energy adoption, support sustainable land use, and modernize agricultural production.

Through the Department of Economic Affairs and Agriculture, ECOWAS is implementing projects aimed at boosting industrial development, trade, agricultural productivity, food security, and inclusive economic growth.

Tchintchibidja noted that these initiatives align with ECOWAS Vision 2050 and the African Union’s Agenda 2063, adding that agriculture, the backbone of West Africa’s economy, must be modernized to withstand environmental pressures.

She highlighted ongoing interventions under the ECOWAS Agricultural Policy (ECOWAP), as well as the West Africa Fertilizer and Soil Health initiatives aimed at restoring degraded lands, improving productivity, and strengthening food systems.

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