FBRA recovers three tonnes of waste, reaches 1,200 Lagos residents

The Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA) has recovered more than three tonnes of recyclable packaging waste from over 400 households in Lagos, highlighting the growing economic and environmental value of organised waste recovery systems.

The recovery was achieved during a two-day World Environment Day 2026 campaign in Surulere and Igando, where FBRA reached more than 1,200 residents and students with messages on recycling, responsible waste disposal and the economic opportunities embedded in Nigeria’s growing circular economy.

The initiative also culminated in the launch of a new recyclables collection centre in Igando, developed in partnership with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and managed by West Africa ENRG.

The programme brought together the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), FBRA member companies and other stakeholders.

At Gbaja Boys High School, Surulere, more than 250 junior and senior secondary school students were trained on the environmental, social and economic consequences of poor waste management, the principles of a circular economy and the role of young Nigerians in promoting recycling.

The second phase of the campaign in Igando, Alimosho Local Government Area, reached more than 1,000 residents through an awareness walk on proper waste disposal and the value of post-consumer packaging.

More than 400 residents later participated in a buyback programme, exchanging recyclable packaging materials for food, beverage products and household items supplied by FBRA member companies.

The exercise recovered more than three metric tonnes of recyclable waste, preventing the materials from entering the environment while demonstrating the practical application of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).

The initiative also provided residents with a direct financial and material incentive to participate in organised waste recovery, reinforcing the shift from viewing discarded packaging as waste to recognising it as a resource with economic value.

Speaking on the campaign, Agharese Onaghise, Executive Director of FBRA, said the alliance was targeting young people as key drivers of behavioural change in waste management.

“When we reach young people in their schools, we are not just educating them about recycling. We are building the generation that will change the narrative on improper waste disposal by taking action,” Onaghise said.

The newly launched FBRA-UNIDO collection centre is one of three facilities completed under the partnership and is expected to provide households and small businesses with a reliable channel for depositing recyclable materials for collection and processing.

FBRA said the facility would improve access to recycling services while supporting Nigeria’s broader transition towards a circular economy.

The alliance urged stronger support for the implementation of the EPR framework across all levels of government and called for increased participation by producers in organised packaging waste recovery systems.

It said collaboration among producers, regulators, recyclers, collectors and communities remained critical to expanding recycling infrastructure, improving waste recovery and strengthening the systems required to track Nigeria’s progress in packaging waste management.