Na wah oh! Nigeria don talk say dem wan turn waste to wealth. E be like say na so the country go shine for Nigeria Circular Economy Week, wey dey happen for Lagos. From last Monday to Thursday, dem dey gather plenty big men wey sabi waste matter, foreign investors, and even academics wey want help change the game.
Wetin dey happen for this conference? Na wetin dem dey call ‘working group session’. Dem dey discuss how to build business models wey go fit handle mixed waste for this our Nigeria, and e dey sweet my belle! Niels van den Hoek, wey be big man for SweepSmart, one Dutch company wey dey into waste management, don yan say dem wan partner with Nigeria government to make sure say we no dey drown for mass waste.
According to Niels, e say dem dey sharpen their understanding of how Nigeria waste system dey operate and how to turn am to money. E talk say, “We fit create over 300 jobs if we fit handle waste well, but e go require good money and better land to start.” Na the money wey dem dey call tipping fee, wey be the charge for dumping waste at their facility, na im be gist of the day. E no dey plenty now, and na im be wahala.”
Wetin dey pain am, be say about 70% of waste for Nigeria no dey collected, while 30% wey dem collect, most dey go dumpsites wey dey rotten and catch fire. “Wey raw rubbish dey decompose and stink, e wahala for our environment and our health. We fit turn this whole jaga-jaga into something wey go bring money, provide jobs and keep our environment clean,” Niels emphasize.
Dr. Abdul-Ganiyu Adelopo, wey sabi environmental chemistry, also dey drop gist wey dey make sense. E talk say dem dey work on how to build facilities wey go recover valuable materials from waste wey dey come from our homes. “From rubbish, we fit get fuel wey get value, compost, biogas and even matter wey go feed black soldier fly. Dis na serious business models!” he talk.
But make I yarn you, na stable policy and government support go help this whole dream materialize. Dr. Adelopo don dey shout say, “If government no provide correct environment, investment go dry up. Investors dey complain say dem no dey see support to carry products give market. Na only when we embrace circular economy our health go clear.”
Mr. Obuesi Phillips, wey be president of SWEEP Foundation Nigeria, don open mouth say dem ready to set up mixed waste facility for Ogun State wey go dey handle plenty waste. Dis project go create job and clean community wey dey strong. “We dey target 300 tonnes of waste daily! Na real sustainable and clean Nigeria we dey look!”
Challenges dey plenty o! Phillips yan say “Electricity no dey reliable, and the roads dey bad, but as Naijas we go survive! We dey call on the government make dem give more support to private operators, and make dem broaden how dem dey manage waste for Lagos.”
As dem continue to gist for Nigeria Circular Economy Week, everybody gree say if we fit work together with the right technology, policy consistency, and strong commitment, na so we go turn this waste wahala to profitable business wey go fit sustain us for long.
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