The Federal Government has set up an inter-ministerial committee to oversee the nationwide enforcement of the ban on single-use plastics.
The committee was inaugurated in Abuja by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, who was represented by Mohammed Danjuma, the Permanent Secretary in charge of the General Services Office.
According to a statement released on Tuesday by the SGF’s spokesperson, Segun Imohiosen, Akume explained that the ban was approved following a memo presented by the Minister of Environment during the Federal Executive Council meeting on June 25, 2024.
The prohibited items include styrofoam, polyethylene terephthalate bottles, plastic bags, sachet water, and drinking straws.
He said the ban aims to curb plastic pollution and minimise its harmful effects on public health, ecosystems and marine life.
According to him, improper disposal of plastic materials has become a major source of land and marine pollution, noting that plastics take years to decompose and contain toxic chemicals.
“The Federal Government arrived at this decision following a Federal Executive Council Memorandum EC (2024) presented by the Honourable Minister of Environment, which was held on Tuesday, 25 June 2024. The FEC decision was in line with the Federal Government’s efforts to tackle various health and environmental challenges, especially those caused by single-use plastic products.
“The government, therefore, approved the ban on polyethylene terephthalate bottles, styrofoam, plastic bags, sachet water, and straws, which have become an environmental sanitation challenge. The inappropriate disposal of plastic materials is a major cause of marine pollution as well as land degradation. Plastic wastes take a long time to decompose both on land and in water and therefore pose a serious threat to wildlife and public health due to toxic chemicals,” Akume was quoted as saying.
According to the statement, the inter-ministerial committee comprises representatives of key ministries, departments, agencies and stakeholder organisations.
The committee was mandated to coordinate and oversee the implementation of policies and strategies aimed at phasing out single-use plastics nationwide.
“The committee’s terms of reference include investigating issues surrounding single-use plastics, evaluating the benefits and broader implications of the ban, and designing ways to promote best environmental practices within the plastic value chain.
“The ban on single-use plastics is an initiative that underscores Nigeria’s leadership in environmental stewardship and commitment to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals,” the statement added.
A report by the Nigerian Economic Summit Group estimates that Nigeria generates an average of 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with Lagos State, the country’s commercial capital, contributing 870,000 tonnes.
In 2024, Lagos State announced a ban on styrofoam and other single-use plastic items.
The Federal Government also announced a ban on single-use plastics in government offices the same year.
With the inauguration of the Inter-Ministerial Committee on the Ban of Single-Use Plastics on Tuesday, the enforcement of the ban is expected to become broader.
