From Idu Jude, Abuja
The Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Hideo Suzuki, has stated that his country will provide more support for Nigeria in its efforts to tackle plastic waste control through an initiative, “Accelerating a Circular Plastic Economy to Reduce Pollution and its Impacts in African Region.”
Mr. Suzuki made this revelation during a courtesy visit to the Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Agency (NESREA), Dr. Innocent Barikor, on Tuesday in his office. He noted that the initial support, through the Japanese Supplementary Budget (JSB1), had supported stakeholders’ engagement, the development of National Guidelines for the Implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for Packaging (Plastic), and an EPR Enforcement Plan.
Mr. Suzuki further expressed the satisfaction of the Japanese government with the dedication and commitment exhibited by NESREA in the first phase of the project.
The Ambassador stated that the second phase of the project, which would be funded from the Japanese Supplementary Budget 2 (JSB2), would kick off in March 2025 and further scale up on the initiatives of the first phase. The second phase will consider the development of reuse and refill systems to address pollution from water sachets, conduct a feasibility study to identify possible reuse solutions, consult with relevant stakeholders, and identify financial gaps for reuse systems and solutions to Single-Use Plastic (SUP) pollution.
Responding, the Director General of NESREA, Dr. Innocent Barikor, expressed gratitude to the government and people of Japan, noting that their support has assisted the agency in promoting sustainable environmental practices and aligning with a circular plastic economy.
He said the agency was eager to understudy the advanced and effective waste management system operated in Japan and looked forward to future collaborations with the Government of Japan.