EU promotes construction waste recycling in Lagos

European Union-backed partners and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority have stepped up efforts to tackle construction and demolition waste in Lagos through the Green Waste Remediation and Recycling Vocational Training Workshop.

The workshop, held at the LCCI Conference and Exhibition Centre, Ikeja, convened policymakers, industry stakeholders, academia, and development partners to address the growing challenge of construction waste in a rapidly urbanising environment.

LAWMA announced this in a statement on Wednesday signed by its Director, Public Affairs, Mukaila Sanusi.

According to the statement, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LAWMA, Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, in his welcome address, described the initiative as a strategic “intervention aimed at bridging technical skill gaps and repositioning construction waste management in line with global best practices.”

Gbadegesin, who was represented at the event by LAWMA’s Executive Director, Finance, Mr Kunle Adebiyi, explained that the GROW project was designed to support the green transformation of the “construction sector by promoting sustainable waste practices, strengthening technical capacity, and fostering collaboration among government, training institutions, and industry”.

He said that the project, co-funded by the European Union under the ERASMUS+ programme, focused on Nigeria and Mozambique as key growth economies facing increasing construction waste challenges.

The LAWMA boss added that LAWMA was strengthening the management of construction, demolition and disaster waste to ensure efficient handling from generation to disposal while unlocking opportunities for recycling and resource recovery.

He further emphasised that the initiative would support skills development, create jobs, and accelerate the transition from a linear to a circular waste management system.

In her remarks, the Project Coordinator, Isabel Goncalves, described the workshop as timely, noting that the GROW project was designed to deliver practical, skills-based solutions to the growing volume of construction waste.

She added that the project would strengthen workforce capacity, improve waste management outcomes across participating countries, and promote collaboration among key stakeholders.

Other stakeholders, including representatives from industry groups, waste management associations, academia, and private sector partners, also participated in the discussions.

The workshop featured technical sessions and breakout discussions on skills gap assessment and workforce development, with participants proposing actionable strategies to improve recycling, reuse, and overall efficiency in construction waste management.

Stakeholders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening partnerships, enhancing policy implementation, and advancing sustainable construction waste practices in Lagos and beyond.