Rite Foods Limited has partnered with RecyclePoints to launch the “Waste-Is-Naira” (W.I.N) initiative.
This is a community-driven programme that converts post-consumer plastic waste into cash, reinforcing the company’s commitment to sustainability and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
The program, unveiled at Rite Foods’ corporate headquarters in Opebi, Lagos, aims to create a structured system for the collection, recovery, and recycling of used packaging materials, transforming environmental stewardship into tangible economic opportunities for Nigerians.
Through W.I.N, residents can exchange plastic bottles and beverage cans for cash, with the initiative projected to recover over 750 tonnes of plastic annually.
The programme also integrates households, informal waste collectors, and aggregators into a formal recycling value chain, creating jobs and fostering grassroots economic empowerment.
Speaking at the launch, Ekuma Eze, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Rite Foods, said:
“This initiative goes beyond clean-up efforts. It reflects our responsibility as a producer to close the loop on our packaging materials. With ‘Waste-Is-Naira’, post-consumer waste is recovered, reintegrated into the value chain, and translated into socio-economic benefits for Nigerians.”
Programme Manager at RecyclePoints, Daniel Oderinde, highlighted the operational framework, explaining that participants use designated ‘Waste-Is-Naira’ sacks for proper segregation, with materials weighed, logged, and payments processed digitally to ensure transparency and financial inclusion.
The initiative also received commendations from key regulatory and industry stakeholders. Mrs. Adedayo Adebayo, Director of Environmental Sustainability at LASEPA, praised its alignment with environmental standards, while Mrs. Oguntola Omolara of LAWMA described it as a timely intervention supporting Lagos State’s waste management objectives.
Arese Onigise, Executive Secretary of the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), emphasised the program’s contribution to building a circular economy:
“Initiatives like ‘Waste-Is-Naira’ exemplify how producers can move beyond compliance to actively implement Extended Producer Responsibility. By integrating informal waste actors and incentivising consumers, Rite Foods is setting a scalable model for long-term environmental sustainability in Nigeria.”
The initiative builds on the company’s previous coastal clean-up campaigns under its Riteonthebeach project, now scaled inland with a structured, incentive-based recycling framework designed to change behavior at the community level.
By embedding EPR into a practical, community-focused model, Rite Foods demonstrates how corporate leadership, regulatory collaboration, and local engagement can drive measurable environmental and socio-economic impact.
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