The Circular Economy Innovation Partnership has said it is important for Nigeria to successfully transition from a linear economy to a circular economy.
It said in a statement made available to The PUNCH that the nation needed to develop a circular economy roadmap where things were reused and recycled.
Speaking at a circular economy roadmap engagement session, organised by Circular Economy Innovation Partnership in Lagos, Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Olubunmi Olusanya, said there was a plan to unveil the roadmap on March 30th before it would become a public document.
A circular economy is a model of production and consumption, which involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.
Chief Executive Officer, Trinomics and chair of Acen Foundation, Koen Rademaekers, said the stakeholder meeting was meant to bring more sectors on board and to avoid unveiling a partial roadmap.
“There is a need to clarify mandates, harmonise regulations, ensure more governance, and have an inter-ministerial committee to make this happen. There is also a need for a public-private partnership to raise the finance because most African countries do not have the budget to invest in a circular economy,” he added.
On his part, Managing Director, the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said Lagos generated 13,000 tons of waste daily, and much of it could be a resource that should not be thrown away.
He revealed that Lagos would build a framework to develop a circular economy by working with partners such as the Circular Economy Innovation Partnership.
Gbadegesin maintained that this would create opportunities for people especially the informal waste collectors to be able to do their business more effectively.
Deputy Consul General and Head Economic Department, Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos, Leonie van der Stijl, said the Netherlands would partner with Nigeria on circular economy, adding that it concerned multiple countries and in a global economy, countries needed to work together.
“The Netherlands is committed to assisting Nigeria with the knowledge needed for the circular economy roadmap with a focus on supporting the Dutch private sector and their Nigerian partners,” she said.
