Plastic Ban: stakeholders reject abrupt phase out, deek gradual transition

By Mashe Umaru Gwamna

Stakeholders in Nigeria’s plastic industry have opposed an abrupt nationwide ban on single-use plastics, warning that a blanket prohibition could trigger widespread job losses, business closures, supply-chain disruptions and higher consumer prices.

The stakeholders, led by the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on the Preparedness for the Single-Use Plastic Ban in Nigeria, called for a phased transition backed by stronger recycling systems, green taxation, producer responsibility and incentives for businesses adopting alternative packaging.

Chairman of the committee and Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Environment, Hon. Terseer Ugbor, made the position known recently in Abuja at the unveiling of the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations, 2026, Stakeholders Implementation Dialogue and inaugural Multi-Stakeholder Roundtable on Less Plastic in Water, organised by the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) in collaboration with relevant stakeholders.

The committee said Nigeria’s plastic pollution crisis required urgent action but cautioned that an immediate ban could disproportionately affect small and medium-scale enterprises that lack the financial capacity to acquire alternative packaging machinery.

It therefore recommended a phased legislative and regulatory timetable, harmonisation of federal and state plastic regulations, stronger enforcement, recycling incentives and retooling support for affected businesses and workers.

The lawmakers also proposed the introduction of a Green Tax and stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations for plastic producers and importers, saying revenue generated could be channelled into recycling infrastructure and the development of a nationwide circular economy.

The committee further proposed consideration of an immediate ban on lightweight plastics below 40 microns as part of measures to tackle the most problematic categories of plastic waste.

According to the committee, Nigeria generates close to 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with less than 10 per cent formally recycled, leaving significant quantities to clog drainage systems and enter marine ecosystems.

The Federal Ministry of Environment backed a staged implementation of the plastic phase-out, alongside mandatory impact assessments, a clear EPR framework and ring-fenced financing to protect affected workers and SMEs.

The ministry said it was already implementing the Federal Executive Council’s directive on the phase-out of PET bottles, Styrofoam bags and straws within government ministries.

The Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, however, called for the proposed blanket ban to be suspended, advocating a Plastic Waste Management Bill focused on collection and recycling.

It also proposed refill-and-reuse systems, research into bio-polymers, incentives for eco-packaging machinery and tax credits for companies that meet recycling targets.

Similarly, NESREA warned that a sudden blanket ban could affect access to clean drinking water and result in significant job losses. The agency advocated a phased transition towards full circularity by 2030.

The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria proposed a gradual phase-out over 14 years, while the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance recommended a one-to-two-year ban on Styrofoam and lightweight nylons below 40 microns, followed by expanded EPR obligations for PET bottles and water sachets.

Speaking at the event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Salihu Aminu Usman, called for an integrated approach that balances environmental protection with economic development.

He described the transition to a circular plastic economy as an environmental, public health, employment and governance project, stressing that discarded plastic could become raw material for new industries through efficient collection, processing and recycling.

The stakeholders maintained that tackling plastic pollution should not come at the expense of livelihoods, insisting that Nigeria’s transition must combine firm regulation with industrial support, fiscal incentives, recycling investment and effective enforcement.