Nigeria: More Recycling to Keep more Value
The West African country will enforce the recycling of plastic bottles from 2028. As reported – inter alia – by the non-profit organization Recycling Association of Africa (RAA), the Federal Republic of Nigeria has established the regulation under the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations in 2026.
In this way the country aims to strengthen its domestic recycling industry and encourage investment in local collection and processing capacity. The new rules for plastic packaging require recycled PET (rPET), which has to consist of 25 percent locally sourced recycled content by January 2028; in the beginning of the year 2030 the share has to be 50 percent. The regulations also include stronger producer responsibility measures like reporting and monitoring systems to improve plastic waste management.
Objective of this policy is to support local certified recyclers, reduce dependence on imported recycled materials and keep more value within the Nigerian economy, the Nigerian National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) was quoted. The organization has “responsibility for the protection and development of the environment, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development of Nigeria’s natural resources in general and environmental technology including coordination and liaison with relevant stakeholders within and outside Nigeria on matters of enforcement of environmental standards, regulations, rules, laws, policies and guidelines”.
(Published in GLOBAL RECYCLING Magazine 3/2026, Page 23)
