Plastic Pollution: UN Promises Continued Support to Nigeria in Tackling Scourge

By: Michael Mike

United Nations (UN) has promised to continue to support Nigeria’s efforts at tackling plastic pollution to bolster sustainable environmental protection.

The promise was given on Friday in Abuja by the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mr Mohamed Fall, while presenting a keynote address at one-day sensitization campaign themed: “Ending plastic pollution” to commemorate the 2025 World Environment Day.

The event was organised by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), United Nations Information Centre (UNIC) and Nigerian Environmental Society (NES) and other partners.

Fall said plastic pollution is at crisis level, noting that the passing of the UN resolution to curb plastic pollution marked historic steps towards protecting the environment.

He added that: “Every piece of plastic that litter our soil or blocks our waterways is threatening ecosystem. More dangerous is microplastic that is unfiltered contaminating our food, health and our bodies.

“Across our agencies, the UN is supporting Nigeria to tackle these challenges into pathways for sustainable growth and boost job creation.

“UNDP is strengthening national and state levels in promoting inclusive model; UNIDO is investing in ecosystem friendly industrial solutions, among other things.

“UN in partnership with organisations like Green Hub Africa and NES, is increasing efforts through advocacy centered on building global treaties to end plastic pollution.

“Ending plastic pollution is not only environmental imperative, it is a human right to health, dignity and lead a planned future.”

In his remarks, Programme Officer, UNIDO Regional Office Hub Abuja, Mr Osu Otu, decried ineffective waste management which often result in greenhouse gas emission.

According to him, in Nigeria, it is estimated that plastic accounts for 13 per cent of total sum of waste.

“The plastic waste management if properly harnessed could bolster job creation, private sector driven investment and foreign direct investments in the country.

“In addition, it will reduce plastic leakages into the environment,” Otu said.

The President of NES, Dr Efegbidiki Okobia, said the organisation has evolved beyond environmental campaigns to achieve desired goals.

According to him, there is a gap between separation, collection and distribution of waste during disposal and that is where the challenge is.

He said: “What we now do is take various environmental issues more serious, carry out research and bring it to those who are responsible, which we have done over the years.

“NES partnership with Green Hub Africa and the UN Information Centre has further made us succeed in promoting measures towards ending issues about plastic pollution,” Okobia said.

Plastic Pollution: UN Promises Continued Support to Nigeria in Tackling Scourge

Ban GMO Foods in Nigeria Now, Groups Tells FG

By: Michael Mike

A group, Health of Mother Earth Foundation, Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria, and the GMO-free Nigeria Alliance have insisted that the Federal Government should ban the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their products in Nigeria.

This call was made yesterday, during a media briefing in commemoration of World Food Safety Day, organised virtually by HOMEF with the theme: Caution in Science -Communicating the Risks Associated with GMOs”.

In his remarks, the Executive Director of HOMEF, Dr Nnimmo Bassey stated that the idea of promoting GMO by the government was not to tackle food crisis, stressing that the organism promote monoculture and creating hunger in the system.

He said nullification of previous permits and approvals, “is critical because GMOs are designed not to address food insecurity but to consolidate control of our food and farming system in the hands of a few corporations/seed industries.

This is known by the patent rights enforced on the products, which prohibit farmers from saving, sharing or replanting the seeds. Even those without the patent
restrictions, when replanted, yield poorly.

This is a calculated attack on Nigeria’s food sovereignty and must be seen as such. Seed saving and sharing is an age-long culture in Nigeria, where farming is about 80% informal, with farmers being able to select and improve seeds using traditional methods and being able to exchange the same.”

Bassey however urged that “GMOs should be ban. They are just polluting our food system. We need to decolonise our food system, the National Assembly needs to ban GMO foods”.

In her presentation, ERA’s Deputy Executive Director, Nigeria, Mariann Bassey-Orovwuje regretted that while countries have taken serious action against GMOs, Nigerian leaders refused to consider the deadly implication of consuming foods produced with GMO.

She advised that decision made by the Nigerian government should not just be for the interest of the business stricken men and women but for the general Nigerians.

The ERA’s deputy executive director Orovwuje, noted that Nigeria, currently does not have a policy on open market labelling and as such, the public does not have the right of choice as to whether or not to consume GMOs, adding that “This negates our right of choice and the right to safe food”.

She further noted that there are fundamental flaws with the current Biosafety Regulatory Agency, including that there is no provision on strict liability, which should ensure that the holder of a permit for any GM product takes
responsibility for any negative effects that will ensue.

“Another major flaw in the National Biosafety Management Agency Act is the lack of attention to the Precautionary Principle, which simply advises a halt on any process where there are threats to health or environmental impacts
from the use of GMOs.

“Nigeria needs to critically address waste, which accounts for about 40% of the food produced. In the same vein, Nigeria needs to critically address issues of insecurity/banditry that keep many farmers away from their farms, leading to reduced productivity.”

Orovwuje stressed that Nigeria can transform its agriculture system in an inclusive and sustainable manner by adopting and promoting agroecology which not only ensures increased productivity by improving soil health and biodiversity but also assures
economic resilience for our farmers as well as climate change
resilience”.

In their separate presentation, Dr Ifeanyi Casmir, Prof Tatfeng Mirabeau noted the need for the government to ban GMOs, saying that the effect is killing Nigeria people’s health.

Dr Casmir, a molecular biologist and researcher, noted that there is no evidence of long-term risk assessment conducted by the government on the health impact of GMOs.

He highlighted that several studies link the consumption of GMOs to diverse health disorders, including immune system dysregulation, increased allergic responses, chronic inflammation and organ toxicity, as well as tumour development.

In his part, Prof Mirabeau revealed that GMOs pose a critical risk of genetic contamination of indigenous seed varieties owing to gene transfer.

He said “We cannot overlook such a grave threat to our plant genetic resources especially as such contamination is irreversible”.

Ban GMO Foods in Nigeria Now, Groups Tells FG

AT 68th UN REGIONAL MEETING:

Adopt Policies That Promote Eco-friendly Tourism In Africa, President Tinubu Urges

** Says continent can harness gains of tourism to boost investments, drive long-term prosperity

By: Our Reporter

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on African countries to adopt policies that promote eco-friendly tourism and preserve cultural heritage across the continent.

Specifically, he sought practical solutions and alliances that would boost investment in tourism infrastructure, deepen the sector’s role in actualising the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the African continent.

The President stated this on Wednesday when he declared open the 68th meeting of the UN Tourism Commission for Africa (CAF) in Abuja, saying the target is to make sure Africa becomes the heart of global discourse in terms of how to harness tourism’s full potential to boost the continent’s economy.

President Tinubu, who was represented at the event by his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, declared Nigeria’s support for adopting sustainable tourism practices across Africa, which he said reflect the continent’s unique challenges.

He said, “By collaborating with regional bodies, such as the African Union, ECOWAS and UN Tourism, Nigeria encourages other African nations to adopt policies promoting eco-friendly tourism and preserving cultural heritage.

“This collaboration includes sharing best practices, tourism training, developing joint marketing campaigns for sustainable tourism and improving infrastructure to support intra-African travel. Through these regional initiatives, Africa can foster a continent-wide movement toward tourism that benefits both the people and the environment, driving long-term prosperity for Africa.”

The Nigerian leader observed that tourism goes beyond “travelling or visiting historic sites, waterfalls, mountains, and parks,” just as he maintained that the sector “is an engine of local economies, a catalyst for social understanding, and a bridge that unites cultures.

“The advent of technology and creativity has transformed tourism and its opportunities. Therefore, it is appropriate that this conference highlight the impact of AI, Innovation, and Creative Industries on the tourism sector,” he added.

Highlighting the role of Nigeria’s creative industries in global tourism, which encompass music, film, fashion, literature and digital arts, President Tinubu said the sector has “emerged as a powerful driver of economic growth, making significant contributions to the country’s GDP, job creation and economic diversification.”

He continued: “Nigeria’s Nollywood is one of the largest film industries in the world, generating substantial revenue from domestic and international markets. Similarly, the music and fashion industries have propelled Nigeria’s global cultural influence and generated income and employment opportunities,” he further stated.

“As we chart a new course for tourism in Africa, one thing is clear: the government cannot build the sector alone. It needs a partnership with the private sector. The sector’s growing complexity and opportunities demand this strategic partnership.”

While declaring the regional meeting open, the Nigerian leader implored participants “to focus on practical solutions and collaborative strategies that will strengthen intra-African travel, boost investment in tourism infrastructure, empower local communities, and deepen tourism’s role in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and making African tourism the heart of the global conversation.”

Earlier, Minister of Art, Culture, Tourism, and Creative Economy, Barrister Hannatu Musa Musawa, in her speech, urged African nations to leverage innovation, artificial intelligence (AI), and creative industries to unlock the continent’s vast potential in global tourism.

Expressing her deep conviction in President Tinubu’s vision for Nigeria, Musawa stated: “I am passionate about Nigeria and the mission and commitment of President Tinubu. I believe in it because of his vision for Nigeria, which I believe will enable the country to take a seat in the comity of global nations as a developed nation. I pray the same for every African nation, and urge us all to rise together.”

The Minister noted that President Tinubu’s “Renewed Hope Agenda” is the guiding principle for Nigeria’s sectoral transformation, emphasising that “Africa stands at the forefront of change. The 21st century demands that we build economies not just from the ground but on people-powered prosperity, through tourism, culture, the creative economy and the arts.”

Musawa said the event’s theme, “Boosting Social Impact and Education in Tourism via Innovation, AI, and Creative Industries in Africa,” highlights that the future of Africa’s prosperity depends on how boldly and broadly it uses technology to empower people.

She pointed out that while the global industry is valued at over $11 trillion, Africa accounts for less than 5% of global tourism revenue and under 1% of global creative exports. “This is not a deficit or talent scarcity. Today, Nigeria invites Africa to close that gap,” she said.

On his part, the Secretary-General of UN Tourism, Amb. Zurab Pololikashvi commended the Tinubu administration for supporting the transformation of the tourism industry in Nigeria, which, according to him, will impact the rest of Africa.

Underscoring tourism as the future of Africa, he said the continent is indeed the new frontier in world tourism, given its huge potential and limitless opportunities for innovation and creativity.

Amb. Pololikashvi urged leaders on the continent to address issues related to connectivity across the region by reviewing existing visa regimes in a bid to ease the movement of tourists across Africa and beyond.

On her part, the Senator representing the FCT at the National Assembly, Sen. Ireti Kingibe, encouraged stakeholders across Africa to think boldly, as Africa is not just participating in the digital future of tourism.

She said Africa is shaping the digital future of tourism and Nigeria, with immense creativity and cultural wealth, stands ready to lead, adding that the culture and resilience of Africans, when combined with emerging technology such as AI and immersive media, can redefine Africa, especially how it is experienced, studied and valued.

“Today’s gathering is an opportunity to amplify the stories of home-grown innovations that attract tourists from the grassroots to the global stage. Let us use this space to exchange best practices, build cross-border collaborations and generate actionable strategies that place communities, especially women and youths, at the heart of our development agenda,” she added.

AT 68th UN REGIONAL MEETING: