The workshop  which is a Civil Society’s Perspective to Addressing Plastic Pollution in Nigeria was by the Global Alliance for Incineration Alternatives (GAIA) Nigeria (made up of Centre for Earth Works (CFEW), Green Knowledge Foundation (GKF), Pan African Vision for the Environment (PAVE), Environmental Rights Action (ERA) and Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria). The workshop held at the De Rembrandt Hotel, Alausa- Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria on the 7th – 9th October 2020 was hosted by SRADev and PAVE under the auspices of GAIA Africa. 

One of the key objectives addressed at the workshop was how GAIA members can coordinate towards developing National Action Plans (NAPs) on the plastic issues in Nigeria amongst others. The 3 days workshop involved technical discussions on the issue of plastic pollution, field visit to waste collection/ recycling management systems in Lagos State and strategy meeting to develop a communique from the group.  

The technical discussion that held on the first day, had in attendance GAIA members, Government Agencies, Academia, and the media. The invited resource persons gave indepth insight into the plastic pollution issue and recommended sustainable solutions. 

The group visited Wecyclers Facility in Ebutte Metta, Lagos on the second day of the event to see how the organization carries out its waste collection and recycling. other goverment bodies commited to the management of plastic pollution such as LAWMA and LASEPA were also visited.       

GAIA Members at Wecycler’s Facility
GAIA Members at LASEPA

The event rounded up on the 9th October, 2020 with a strategy meeting where the GAIA Members came up with a communique on the way forward in addressing plastic pollution in Nigeria. Find communique here (COMMUNIQUE)