Waste management experts have called on the government to strengthen regulatory frameworks and policy consistency to attract investment into Nigeria’s waste disposal sector.
The President of the Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, made the call at a recent event in Lagos organised by the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria.
Adebola emphasised that policy inconsistency remains a major barrier to private sector participation, noting that government’s role should focus on regulation and creating an enabling environment rather than direct involvement in business operations.
“It is not just about money, because there is a lot of policy inconsistency; that is where we are,” he said. “The government has no business being in business… they are built and trained to be good regulators, to provide good policy together with the private sector, and then to implement it.”
He added that investors require assurances before committing capital to the sector. According to him, a lack of guarantees discourages private funding, as investors are wary of uncertain returns.
Adebola also highlighted the importance of effective waste collection at the source, noting that this is the core objective of the Private Sector Participant programme. He explained that proper collection from waste generators would prevent refuse from ending up on highways and in drainage systems.
He further stressed the need for functional material recovery facilities, particularly in densely populated cities like Lagos, where land constraints make waste management more complex. Such facilities, he said, would enable proper sorting and processing of waste even when not segregated at source.
On the role of informal operators, Adebola advised against outright bans, urging the government instead to integrate and formalise the sector to improve efficiency and accountability.
He reiterated that Private Sector Participants have shown willingness to invest but require assurances of return on investment to sustain their involvement.
Earlier, the Chairperson of the Property and Environment Writers Association of Nigeria, Mrs Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie, underscored the need for increased investment in waste infrastructure. She noted that the association has consistently advocated the development of modern waste treatment facilities, expansion of collection services, and adoption of waste segregation practices.
Iroegbu-Chikezie also called for the deployment of smart waste management technologies, stronger partnerships with private stakeholders and communities, improved budgetary allocation, and enhanced policy enforcement and monitoring.
She added that involving local communities remains critical to achieving sustainable waste reduction across the country.
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