Nestlé Nigeria Launches Coalition to Drive Environmental Sustainability

Nestlé Nigeria has launched a multi-stakeholder coalition aimed at driving sustained environmental action and advancing circular economy initiatives as part of activities commemorating the 2026 World Environment Day.

The company said the coalition, which builds on six years of nationwide environmental awareness and clean-up campaigns, represents a coordinated and systems-led approach designed to bring together government agencies, regulators, industry players, recyclers, development partners and communities to tackle waste management challenges across the country.

According to the company, the programme will be implemented across 12 locations nationwide through community sensitisation and clean-up exercises focused on promoting sustainable environmental practices and reducing waste leakage into the environment.

Nestlé Nigeria explained that the initiative is targeted at strengthening waste collection systems, scaling circular economy solutions and promoting responsible waste management practices through collective action.

Speaking at the launch, Lead Corporate Communications, Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria, Victoria Uwadoka, said the coalition reflects a shift from awareness campaigns to a broader framework of shared accountability across the plastics value chain.

She stated, “Waste management outcomes improve when intervention shifts from awareness alone to shared accountability across the value chain. This coalition is designed to connect policy, infrastructure, community action, and market-based recovery systems in a way that can deliver more durable environmental results.”

Uwadoka noted that the initiative reinforces Nestlé Nigeria’s commitment to plastics neutrality and responsible packaging while supporting stronger waste recovery systems and deeper collaboration among stakeholders in the plastics ecosystem.

She added that the programme also demonstrates a scalable model for public-private sector collaboration in addressing environmental sustainability challenges.

Providing insights into the company’s environmental stewardship efforts, Nestlé Nigeria disclosed that since 2019, it has worked with partners including Chanja Datti, Wecyclers and MECOM to recover more than 60,000 metric tons of plastic waste for recycling.

The company said the initiative has helped divert significant volumes of plastic waste from the environment and returned them into productive use through recycling and circular economy practices.

Representing the Minister of Environment, Mrs. Olabimpe Adenaike, Controller, Lagos Field Office, Federal Ministry of Environment, commended Nestlé Nigeria and its partners for promoting climate action and environmental sustainability through collaborative efforts.

“This initiative reflects a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, community development, and responsible environmental practices. It aligns with the Ministry’s mandate to drive climate action and environmental safety.

“We commend Nestlé Nigeria and its partners for advancing environmental awareness, waste reduction, and climate resilience through collaborative action. We encourage all Nigerians to support proper waste management, recycling, and sustainable living as we work together toward a cleaner, greener, and healthier nation,” she said.

Nestlé Nigeria had revealed that its Employee Plastics Collection Scheme, introduced in 2022, has recovered over 12,000 kilogrammes of plastic waste, helping to deepen employee engagement and encourage positive behavioural change on waste disposal and recycling.

The coalition brings together key institutions across the plastics value chain, including the Federal Ministry of Environment, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Lagos State Ministry of Environment, and the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA).

Other partners include the National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP), Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), Circular Economy Innovation Partnership (CEIP), and the Recyclers Association of Nigeria (RAN).

The initiative is also being supported by development partners such as the Swiss Consulate and the Kingdom of the Netherlands, while implementation is being coordinated by the African Clean-Up Initiative with media amplification from News Central.

Nestlé Nigeria noted that as it enters its seventh year of environmental stewardship, the 2026 initiative represents a deliberate transition from standalone interventions to broader systems collaboration aimed at delivering long-term environmental impact across Nigeria.