Chuks Oyema-Aziken
The French government through the French Development Agency (AFD) has unveiled the outputs and deliverables of the Technical Assistance (TA) programme to support the Nigerian federal management framework on solid waste.
The support was unveiled by the Minister of Environment, Alh. Mohammed Abdullahi, in collaboration with Her Excellency, The French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs Emmanuelle Blatmann and AFD Country Director, Mr. Xavier Muron.
The support by AFD is expected to tackle a number of challenges facing the country’s strong commitment to enhance solid waste management, in line with circular economy and sustainable treatment facilities .
The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) has undertaken significant efforts in recent years to improve its national waste management policy, including the development of the National Policy on Solid Waste Management (SWM) and the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management.
From February 2021 to August 2022, The French Development Agency (AFD) financed a technical assistance programme for the Federal Ministry of Environment to support the implementation of its solid waste management framework. This technical assistance was carried out by a consortium of Nigerian and French companies (JV Hydroconseil, UrbaConsulting and Weir Capacity) who worked together towards a relationship of trust with the Federal Ministry of Environment.
Through a gap analysis work, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building, the program has permitted a better understanding of SWM constraints and challenges in Nigeria and improved knowledge of partner States in SWM practices. It strengthened the dialogue between the Federal Ministry, Federated States, and all the stakeholders engaged in the sector.
Throughout the TA Programme, seminars and workshops were organized with relevant institutions and agencies on operational level including pre-collection, collection, transport, landfill, recycling, extended producer responsibility and green certification mechanisms. The TA confirmed the interest of sixteen partner States in the subject and underlined the need for support and capacity building in translating the national SWM roadmap into action at their level.
The major deliverables produced during this programme with all stakeholders were the National Roadmap, which operationalizes the municipal stage of the two national solid waste and plastic waste management policies, and the National Database, which allows for monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of the Roadmap. Those policy tools are adapted to the Nigerian regulatory framework. The FMENV plays a key role in the process of improvement of solid waste management and in supporting the States on the implementation of adaptive systems at the local level.
“France, through the AFD, has been very pleased to support this project, as it demonstrates our commitment to accompany Nigeria in its efforts towards a green trajectory, in line with the Nigeria’s National Determined Contributions and the Paris Agreement for Climate”, stated Her Excellency, The French Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs. Emmanuelle Blatmann. The implementation of a robust solid waste management framework will have many positive impacts, whether it is on health, greenhouse gas emissions reduction and consequently climate change, biodiversity or environment as a whole.”
