Laraba MUREY
As part of activities to mark the 2025 World Environment Day, the Federal Government, in partnership with ECOWAS Commission and Oxfam in Nigeria has rallied young Nigerians to take the lead in climate action.
With the theme, “Ending Plastic Pollution” which took place in Abuja on Tuesday saw the return of the Minister’s Climate Justice Cup, launched in 2024 by Oxfam in Nigeria, it is a school competition aimed at deepening environmental awareness among youth.
Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balaraba Abbas Lawal, said the rising threat of plastic waste in Nigeria has become a major environmental, health, and economic challenge.
“Plastic pollution is not just an environmental issue but also an economic and public health crisis,” the Minister said. “Every minute, plastic waste is being dumped into our oceans, rivers, and drainage systems. From sachet water bags littering our streets to microplastics entering our food chain, the danger is real and urgent.”
He assured that the Federal Government, under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, is taking strong measures to address the crisis. These include the National Policy on Plastic Waste Management, the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme, and support for innovative recycling and plastic alternatives.
“The fight against plastic pollution must be a people-centered movement. This is a fight for the preservation of our ecosystems, the future of our children, and the survival of our planet,” he said.
Also speaking, Commissioner for Economic Affairs and Agriculture at ECOWAS, Massandje Toure-Litse, said the plastic crisis in the region required a coordinated response.
“West Africa generates nearly 8 million metric tonnes of plastic waste every year, and over 80 percent of it is poorly managed,” she said. “If we don’t act fast, this volume will rise by over 50 percent in the next five years.”
She said ECOWAS has taken bold steps, including the adoption of Regulation C/REG.17/12/23 on Plastics Management, which mandates member states to harmonize their policies and adopt best practices.
“This is not a challenge we can solve in isolation. Ghana and Nigeria are scaling up circular economy efforts, Senegal and Côte d’Ivoire are implementing plastic bans, and ECOWAS is supporting all member states to align their regulations and protect the environment,” she said.
Toure-Litse said environmental sustainability is a key part of the ECOWAS Vision 2050 and urged governments, civil society, and the private sector to invest in innovation and youth-driven climate action.
On his part, Project Coordinator at Oxfam in Nigeria, Kenneth Akpan, lauded the Honourable Minister for his continued support to the Climate Justice Youth Ambassadors (CJYA), a youth-led initiative inaugurated during last year’s World Environment Day.
Akpan said the students had returned to express gratitude and also compete in the second edition of the Minister’s Cup, which he called a tool for deepening climate knowledge and environmental responsibility among school children.
“Honourable Minister, I’ve brought back your children to say thank you,” he said. “This school competition should become an annual event to nurture informed, responsible citizens.”
Akpan highlighted the progress made by CJYA over the past year with support from Oxfam and partners.
“We’ve trained young people, created awareness, turned plastic waste into useful products, and secured seats at key decision-making tables,” he added.
He urged the Ministry and other stakeholders to continue creating space for youth participation in climate action and environmental governance.
Also present at the event were representatives of the Rwanda Foundation, civil society groups, and members of the diplomatic corps.
