Ogun urges firms to embrace circular economy, cut waste

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The governor of Ogun State, Dapo Abiodun has urged industries operating in the state to move beyond mere compliance with environmental regulations and embrace circular economy principles to reduce waste, recover resources and improve production efficiency.

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Abiodun represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Dr Ola Oresanya, made the call on Wednesday at the 3rd Annual Industrial Waste Management Workshop organised by the Ogun State Waste Management Authority at the Sir Kessington Adebutu Hall, Abeokuta Sports Club.

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The workshop had the theme, “Beyond Compliance: Embedding Circular Economy Principles and Innovation into Industrial Waste Management in Ogun State.”

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The governor said that Ogun, as Nigeria’s foremost industrial hub, had a responsibility to ensure that industrial growth was accompanied by sound environmental management.

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He said, “Industrial development must proceed hand in hand with environmental responsibility. Investment and economic growth are welcome, but they must be pursued within the framework of environmental laws and standards that protect public health, communities and the environment.”

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According to him, Nigeria generates over 35 million tonnes of solid waste annually, while Ogun accounts for more than one million tonnes, with industrial waste constituting a significant proportion.

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He said that “improper waste disposal, open burning and inefficient resource utilisation contributed to environmental degradation and greenhouse gas emissions, while indiscriminate dumping of waste in drainage channels could worsen flooding and so the state government won’t hesitate to wield the relevant section of the law against the offenders”

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Abiodun disclosed that the State Policy on Climate Change, which was undergoing stakeholder review, would provide a framework for integrating resource efficiency, low-carbon industrial development and circular economy principles into the state’s development planning.

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He listed the Blue Box Initiative, Plastic for Cash Programme and the establishment of packaging waste collection and aggregation centres among measures being implemented by the state to promote resource recovery.

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He said the Blue Box Initiative, launched in 2025 by the Ministry of Environment in collaboration with OGWAMA, was promoting waste segregation at household level, while recycling depots and material recovery operations were expanding across the state’s three senatorial districts.

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The commissioner said the Plastic for Cash Programme had also created opportunities for women, youths and low-income households through incentives for plastic waste recovery.

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He added that the state had facilitated the establishment of packaging waste collection and aggregation centres with the support of the Food and Beverage Alliance, a Producer Responsibility Organisation.

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Oresanya, however, said the industrial sector must prioritise waste prevention, segregation, recovery, safe handling and responsible disposal.

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Also speaking at the event, the Special Adviser and Managing Director of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority, Hon. Farouk Adeniyi Akintunde warned industries operating in the state against under-declaring their waste volumes, open burning and indiscriminate dumping, saying offenders will face sanctions.

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Akintunde said the authority would not tolerate sharp practices capable of undermining the state’s efforts to improve industrial waste management.

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He said, “A situation where some of the industries under-declare their industrial waste volume and involve in sharp practices such as waste burning, indiscriminate dumping of industrial waste in public spaces and illegal dumpsite operation will not be tolerated.”

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According to him, such practices contravene Section 27 of the OGWAMA Law 2020, stressing that industries found violating the law would not be spared.

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He urged industries facing challenges in managing their waste to seek solutions from the authority rather than resorting to illegal practices.

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Akintunde said adopting circular economy principles would enable industries to reduce waste, improve production processes and generate additional income from materials previously regarded as waste.

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“As a regulator, we assure our industries of our cooperation in embedding circular economy principles and innovations into industrial waste management in Ogun State with the hope that they will play their part in achieving this onerous task,” he added.

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The OGWAMA boss said the annual workshop had evolved over the past three years from raising awareness to producing practical changes in industrial waste management.

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Akintunde also disclosed that OGWAMA had refurbished several moribund compactors in its fleet and purchased new ones to strengthen industrial waste management operations.

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He added that the authority had offset backlogs of commercial and industrial payments owed to its Private Sector Participation operators before his assumption of office and had continued to pay their dues promptly.

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