The federal government is implementing comprehensive policies targeted at reducing methane emissions from open dumpsites and accelerating sustainable waste management practices nationwide.
The strategic enforcement initiative was announced on Friday, by Balarabe Lawal, minister of environment, during a stakeholder engagement workshop in Abuja.
The high-level event based on the multi-solving action for methane reduction in Nigeria (MAMRN) project, was organised by the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in partnership with the office of the special adviser to the president on climate change matters.
“We are actively promoting our waste to wealth mandate to transform environmental liabilities into useful economic resources while cutting down potent greenhouse gas releases,” Lawal said.
The minister noted that poor municipal waste handling directly exacerbates severe flash floods during heavy seasonal downpours, urging citizens to stop indiscriminate refuse dumping into drainage networks.
Representing the NCCC, Michael Ivenso said the newly launched project will support the creation of a definitive national action plan for methane reduction within the waste sector.
Environmental health specialists at the workshop noted that methane emissions from unmanaged organic decay represent a major obstacle to meeting Nigeria’s emissions reduction commitments under the Paris Agreement.
The new framework aims to strengthen regulatory enforcement, expand circular economy resource recovery, and mitigate the localised public health hazards associated with urban dumpsites.
