![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.funminews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/George-Akume.webp?fit=1024%2C859&ssl=1\")
Akume said the decision reflects Nigeria\u2019s commitment to global environmental standards and its resolve to address the growing threat posed by plastic waste. \u201cThe inappropriate disposal of plastic materials is a major cause of marine pollution and land degradation,\u201d he said. \u201cPlastic wastes take years to decompose and contain toxic chemicals that endanger wildlife and human health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The newly formed committee includes representatives from key ministries, departments, agencies, and stakeholder organizations. Its mandate is to oversee the implementation of the ban and develop strategies to phase out single-use plastics nationwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Terms of reference for the committee include investigating the impact of single-use plastics, evaluating the benefits and challenges of the ban, and promoting best practices within the plastic value chain. Officials say the committee will also engage with industry stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nigeria generates an estimated 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, according to the Nigerian Economic Summit Group. Lagos State, the country\u2019s commercial hub, contributes roughly 870,000 tonnes, making it a focal point for waste management efforts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Environmental advocates welcomed the move but urged the government to back it with strong enforcement and public education. \u201cThis is a bold and necessary step,\u201d said Amina Yusuf, a sustainability consultant based in Abuja. \u201cBut without consistent enforcement and alternatives for consumers, the ban could falter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some citizens expressed cautious optimism. \u201cWe\u2019ve seen bans before that didn\u2019t last,\u201d said Chukwudi Nwosu, a shop owner in Lagos. \u201cIf they\u2019re serious this time, they need to help small businesses adjust.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The committee\u2019s work is expected to begin immediately, with public awareness campaigns and stakeholder consultations planned in the coming months. Officials say the initiative aligns with Nigeria\u2019s commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and its pledge to reduce environmental degradation.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ABUJA, Nigeria (FN) \u2014 The Nigerian government has inaugurated an inter-ministerial committee to coordinate the enforcement of a nationwide ban on single-use plastics, marking a significant step in the country\u2019s environmental policy reform. The committee was launched Tuesday in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who was represented by […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":24038,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[4,3],"tags":[1091,664,1092,1090,1085,1088,1086,1084,1089,1087],"class_list":["post-24035","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-naija-news","tag-environmental-reform-nigeria","tag-federal-executive-council","tag-george-akume","tag-marine-pollution","tag-nigeria-environment-policy","tag-pet-bottles-ban","tag-plastic-waste-nigeria","tag-single-use-plastics-ban","tag-styrofoam-ban","tag-sustainable-development-goals"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.funminews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Single-use-plastics.jpeg?fit=599%2C344&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24035","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24035"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24035\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":24040,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24035\/revisions\/24040"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24038"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24035"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24035"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.funminews.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24035"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}