Abuja: The Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) has announced a strategic partnership with the Nigeria National Plastic Action Partnership (NPAP), the Federal Government, and other stakeholders to mitigate the adverse effects of plastic pollution on biodiversity. This development was revealed by Dr. Joseph Onoja, Director-General of the NCF, during the Multi-Stakeholders Dialogue on Inclusive Plastic Action in Nigeria, held in Abuja. The event also served as the National Validation Workshop for the Assessment Report on the Impact of Plastic Pollution on Biodiversity.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the event was organized by the NCF in collaboration with NPAP and the Federal Ministry of Environment. Dr. Onoja emphasized the detrimental effects of plastic waste pollution on both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, with subsequent impacts on human health due to the presence of aquatic animals in the food chain. He stressed the necessity for collective efforts to eliminate plastic pollution from the envi
ronment and prevent the consumption of plastic waste through aquatic foods.
Dr. Onoja highlighted that an assessment report conducted by experts in six states revealed the process of recycling plastic waste into microplastics leads to these materials becoming embedded in the tissue of aquatic food such as fish. The dialogue aimed to address policy gaps, challenges, and opportunities for integrating biodiversity-plastic linkages into national planning and implementation.
The workshop’s objective was to validate findings on how plastic pollution affects ecosystems and biodiversity hotspots in Nigeria, aligning the assessment with key national policy frameworks such as NPAP and Biodiversity Financing. Furthermore, the event sought to address inclusion issues affecting informal waste workers, including women, youth, and persons with disabilities. Dr. Onoja stated that the dialogue was intended to strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration and co-design practical, context-specific solutions, identifying clear en
try points for integrating biodiversity-plastic pollution considerations into national and sub-national decision-making.
He also mentioned that the organization is collaborating with the Global Action Partnership (GAP) to evaluate how plastic waste pollution impacts biodiversity, with the NCF’s involvement in the dialogue aimed at assessing these effects.
In addition, Mr. Aliyu Auwal, Director of Communication and Strategic Partnership at the Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN), advocated for policies that would integrate waste pickers into the formal system. He noted that such policies would improve the welfare and livelihood of waste pickers by granting them the ability to work freely within communities and access health insurance. Furthermore, a cooperative model could guarantee a micro-insurance scheme, providing benefits in old age. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)