Expert Advocates Collective Action To Address e-Waste Challenges

The head of Environment at Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), Weyinmi Metseagharun, has emphasised the need for a collaborative effort to address the growing e-waste challenge in Nigeria.

Speaking at the 2025 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue in Lagos, Weyinmi highlighted the importance of corporate responsibility in e-waste management.

“As part of consumers and the public, NLNG, like many Multinationals, currently practices green procurement, responsible disposal, and transparent reporting of our e-waste management practices,” Weyinmi stated.

He urged other sectors to adopt similar practices, emphasising that, “this drive should be taken to other sectors to raise the percentage of businesses that responsibly recycle their e-waste.”

Weyinmi also stressed the importance of multinationals supporting brands and policies that prioritize circularity and environmental responsibility.

Multinationals should support brands and policies that prioritise circularity and environmental responsibility, he said.

Furthermore, he called on government and policymakers to enforce Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) and provide incentives for investing in advanced recycling technologies.

“Government and policymakers should pay more attention to the enforcement of EPR and provide incentives for people to invest in advanced recycling technologies where critical raw materials (CRM) can be recovered in-country,” he emphasised.

The 2025 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, themed “Nigeria: Recycle your e-waste – it’s critical!”, brought together key stakeholders from environmental, telecommunications, and energy sectors. Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke, Group Executive Editor of ITREALMS Media Group, moderated the event.

Other panelists included Uchechukwu Ugwuanyi, assistant General manager at Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), who represented the managing director, Muhammed Rudman; Publisher of Political Economy, Ken Ugbechie; and Azeezat Alabere, Executive Assistant at E-Waste Producer Responsibility Organisation of Nigeria (EPRON); while Olaide Oyedele-Taiwo, Chief Scientific Officer at NESREA Lagos Liaison Office, represented the Director-General/CEO of NESREA.

The panel highlighted Nigeria’s significant e-waste challenge, with an estimated 1.2 million tonnes generated annually, posing environmental and health risks. They emphasised the need for a unified national strategy, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and efficient systems to recover critical raw materials from discarded electronics.

The dialogue underscored the importance of collective action in addressing Nigeria’s e-waste challenge and promoting sustainable practices.