By Danjuma Amodu | February 13, 2026
The Federal Ministry of Environment has taken a significant stride in combating marine litter and strengthening the country’s transition to a circular economy with the validation of a landmark policy brief.
The policy brief, titled “Policies, Institutional Set-up and Financing of Marine Litter Prevention in Nigeria,” aims to address long-standing structural and financing gaps in the country’s waste management system.
The validation workshop, held at the Green Building of the Federal Ministry of Environment in Abuja, brought together environmental experts, regulators, development partners, and private sector actors.
The initiative is supported by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection and led by adelphi, with implementation in Nigeria by WASTE Africa and NCIC.
Falmata Bukar-Kolo, Deputy Director of the Solid Waste Management and Technology Division at the Federal Ministry of Environment, emphasized the urgent need to curb marine litter, particularly plastics flowing from inland communities into the sea. “The workshop was convened to validate a draft policy that would help curb marine litter, particularly plastics flowing from inland communities into the sea,” she said, warning that “plastic pollution has severe consequences for aquatic ecosystems and human health.”
The policy brief proposes harmonizing institutional mandates among agencies, establishing a Unified Inter-Agency Coordination Framework, and introducing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to ensure manufacturers take responsibility for the lifecycle of their packaging. Innovative funding mechanisms, such as blue bonds and environmental levies, will support coastal waste infrastructure.
Clem Ugorji, Regional Coordinator of PROTEGO, expressed optimism that coordinated efforts could reverse the trend of marine litter, saying, “Nigeria’s marine litter challenge carries environmental, economic and reputational costs, but coordinated policy frameworks, strengthened institutions and sustainable financing could reverse the trend.”
The policy brief also emphasizes the domestication of federal policies at the state level, particularly in littoral states such as Lagos State and Cross River State, to ensure effective enforcement beyond Abuja.
Stakeholders endorsed the policy brief and adopted a 2025-2040 implementation roadmap, marking a shift from dialogue to concrete action in protecting Nigeria’s marine and coastal environment.
