As the world unites under the banner of “Beat Plastic Pollution” for World Environment Day 2025, the Centre for Media and Society, CEMESO has joined voices across the globe to call for urgent and sustained action to address the plastic crisis threatening Nigeria’s cities, rural communities, ecosystems, and future generations.
Executive Director of the CEMESO, Dr Akin Akingbulu, called on government authorities, private sector players, civil society and the media to intensify collaborative efforts in curbing plastic pollution across the country.
He stated that the occasion of World Environment Day should serve as a turning point for environmental reform and accountability. Led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Day serves as a global platform for advocacy and action on environmental challenges.
The 2025 observance highlights one of the most pressing issues of our time: plastic pollution. With over 400 million tonnes of plastic produced globally each year and a significant portion ending up in landfills, rivers, and oceans, the call to action has never been more urgent.
In Nigeria, the realities are sobering. The country generates approximately 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, ranking among the top contributors to plastic pollution globally. Shockingly, over 88% of this plastic waste is not recycled, often ending up in drainage systems, public spaces, and coastal waters.
Dr Akingbulu observed that urban centres like Lagos face mounting plastic waste that clogs waterways and contributes to flooding and public health crises.
Meanwhile, rural areas and oil-producing communities, especially in the Niger Delta, endure decades of pollution from extractive activities, worsening the degradation of natural ecosystems.
He said CEMESO acknowledges the recent steps taken by the Nigerian government, including the adoption of the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, the announcement of a 2025 nationwide ban on single-use plastics, and the push for Extended Producer Responsibility to hold manufacturers accountable.
However, the success of these policies depends on effective implementation, enforcement, and broad-based public awareness.
“Nigeria cannot afford to be left behind in the global effort to end plastic pollution. While the government has made laudable commitments, implementation must be swift, inclusive, and rooted in the realities of urban and rural Nigeria,” said Dr Akin Akingbulu.
“This is a moment for shared responsibility. From policymakers to producers, media professionals to school children, everyone must play a role. Let us not wait until our rivers, farms, and future are permanently choked by plastic.”
He called on the Federal Government to ensure full enforcement of the single-use plastics ban by 2025 and expand support for recycling and circular economy initiatives while state and local governments should invest in waste management infrastructure and public education campaigns.
The media should amplify environmental education and promote behavioural change; civil society and the private sector to innovate and collaborate on sustainable packaging alternatives. and then communities and citizens to embrace the “Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink” ethos in daily life.
Dr Akingbulu added that there was the need to move from pollution to solution, expressing optimism that together, we can beat plastic pollution and secure a cleaner, healthier Nigeria for generations to come.
