The Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria (AWAMN) has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for what it described as significant strides in environmental sustainability, waste management and circular economy development over the past three years.
The association particularly highlighted the administration’s role in driving green initiatives that are projected to generate millions of jobs and position Nigeria for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Speaking in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Lagos, AWAMN National President, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, said the Tinubu administration had demonstrated strong commitment to environmental protection through policies and programmes focused on climate resilience, job creation and sustainable development.
Adebola noted that AWAMN, which represents over 2,000 waste management firms and practitioners nationwide, considers the president’s environmental record worthy of recognition.
He traced the foundation of Tinubu’s environmental reforms to his tenure as governor of Lagos State, where he introduced the Private Sector Participation (PSP) model for waste collection. According to him, the initiative transformed waste management in Lagos and has since been adopted as a model across several states and African countries.
“One of the landmark achievements of this administration is the formulation and validation of Nigeria’s first Cleantech Innovation Policy, which is expected to accelerate green industrialisation and create more than 500,000 jobs,” Adebola said.
He also cited the Sustainable Energy Access Project targeting all 774 local government areas, which is projected to generate nearly one million jobs nationwide.
Adebola further highlighted the administration’s promotion of circular economy principles through agro-waste conversion, cassava value-chain development and industrial-scale research commercialisation. He added that plans for a Green and Blue Methanol Industrial Complex would enhance Nigeria’s position in Africa’s clean energy transition.
The AWAMN president praised the Federal Ministry of Environment for advancing national waste management and plastic waste policies, noting that full implementation could generate over five million direct and indirect jobs.
He also referenced the implementation of the Climate Change Act, expanded access to clean cooking energy through liquefied petroleum gas, and the Greening the Sahel Initiative aimed at combating desertification through large-scale tree planting.
Adebola said reforms in the oil and gas sector have contributed to reduced gas flaring and cleaner production practices, while Nigeria’s adoption of sustainability reporting standards and active participation in global climate engagements demonstrate the administration’s commitment to environmental leadership.
He noted ongoing efforts to end open defecation by 2030, alongside initiatives such as the Energy Transition Plan, carbon market reforms and plans to establish a climate investment fund to support green financing.
According to him, the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) initiative is also a major intervention expected to reduce transportation costs and emissions, with waste operators among those set to benefit from the shift to cleaner fuels.
Adebola emphasised that while waste management remains a concurrent responsibility, state governments must domesticate and implement federal environmental policies for maximum impact.
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He expressed optimism that sustained reforms would strengthen economic growth, expand employment opportunities and improve environmental outcomes nationwide.
“President Tinubu has shown commitment to environmental sustainability and circular economy development. We believe the remaining years of the administration will further advance Nigeria’s environmental and economic transformation,” he said.
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