Reps Panel Calls for Phased Transition to Plastic Ban
The House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Preparedness for the Single-Use Plastic Ban in Nigeria has called for a phased and evidence-based transition to the proposed ban to minimise potential job losses, business closures, supply-chain disruptions and higher consumer prices.
The committee, chaired by the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Environment, Terseer Ugbor, made the recommendation 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 Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
It said the transition should be supported by targeted fiscal measures, including a Green Tax and stronger Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) obligations for plastic producers and importers.
The committee also proposed consideration of an immediate ban on lightweight plastics below 40 microns as part of measures to tackle the country’s plastic waste crisis.
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According to the committee, Nigeria generates close to 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with less than 10 per cent formally recycled, contributing to blocked drainage systems and the leakage of plastic waste into marine ecosystems.
It warned that an immediate nationwide ban could particularly affect small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that may be unable to afford the machinery required to switch to alternative packaging.
The committee therefore recommended a phased legislative and regulatory schedule, harmonisation of federal and state plastic regulations, stronger enforcement, recycling incentives and retooling support for affected businesses and workers.
It stressed that revenue generated through green taxation and EPR could be channelled into recycling infrastructure and used to support the development of a nationwide circular economy.
The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Salihu Usman, called for an integrated approach to environmental protection and economic development.
Lawal described the transition to a circular plastic economy as an environmental, public health, employment and governance project, stressing that waste could become a raw material for new industries through efficient collection, processing and recycling.
The Ministry said it was implementing the Federal Executive Council’s directive on the phase-out of PET bottles, Styrofoam bags and straws within government ministries.
It supported staged implementation, mandatory impact assessments, a clear EPR framework and ring-fenced financing for affected workers and SMEs.
The Director-General of NESREA, Professor Innocent Barikor, warned that a sudden blanket ban could affect access to clean drinking water and lead to significant job losses.
Barikor advocated a phased transition towards full circularity by 2030, stressing the need to balance environmental protection with economic and social considerations.
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.
The committee maintained that Nigeria’s plastic pollution crisis required urgent intervention but cautioned that the transition must protect jobs, businesses and industrial livelihoods.
It said a successful single-use plastic ban should be implemented through a carefully designed roadmap combining phased regulation, green fiscal incentives, industrial support and effective enforcement.
