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FCT Designated for Implementation of NESREA / UNEP Innovative Waste Management Pilot Project
FCT Designated for Implementation of NESREA / UNEP Innovative Waste Management Pilot Project
By: Michael Mike
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) with the support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) has began the process of reforming the waste management system in the country.
Also, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT has been designated as the pilot state for the implementation of the reforms.
In order to put the necessary frameworks in place to achieve this, the agency hosted two separate two-day consultative workshops with relevant stakeholders.
The first workshop aimed to consolidate report on recommendations for Legislative and Institutional Reforms in the Waste Management Sector in Nigeria, whilst the second workshop looked at the specific measures on the better inclusion of informal structures and workers in the reforms.
The workshops are part of the UNDA-funded Project on Environmentally Sound and Safe Waste Management Frameworks in Africa, being implemented by UNEP in collaboration with other UN agencies across three African countries Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
Director General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor in his remarks described the project as timely, coming at a time when Nigeria is implementing the circular economy with a view to promoting resource efficiency and the creation of green jobs.
He disclosed that under the project, the Federal Capital Territory, FCT has been designated as the pilot state for the implementation of the reforms, noting the vital role of the waste management sector in safeguarding public health, ensuring environmental sustainability and enhancing the quality of life in communities.
He said: “Over the years, waste management has remained one of the key environmental and developmental challenges in Nigeria. Despite efforts to develop policies and plans, Nigeria continues to face significant challenges in managing waste, including inadequate infrastructure, insufficient funding, and lack of public awareness. to address this, NESREA, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme under the Montevideo Programme V for the Development and Periodic Review of Environmental Law, is implementing this pilot project in Abuja.”
Barikor disclosed that the objective of the project was to strengthen the waste management framework with the aim of promoting environmentally sound and safe management of waste in Nigeria, while ensuring better inclusion and protection of informal workers and structures; as well as the integration of waste segregation.
He expressed the belief that the National Waste Marketplace Programme recently unveiled by NESREA, and the implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Programme would further boost effective waste management in line with global best practices.
He noted that: “The Marketplace intends to link waste pickers, collectors, recyclers in an innovative manner that provides benefits and allow stakeholders to interface. It will give room for financial support, insurance support and incentives. Cooperatives will also be on the space. The direction is to move towards entrenching global best practices.”
Representative of UNEP, Aphrodite Smagadi in a goodwill message said the success of the reforms depend to a large extent on meaningful engagement and integration of all stakeholders including governments institutions, the private sector, civil society, as well as the informal sector.
While thanking NESREA for convening the forum, the Director, Climate Change, Federal Ministry of Environment, Dr. Iniobong Abiola-Awe said despite the challenge posed by waste management, it represents an opportunity to turn waste into wealth, pollution into innovation and environmental risk into green enterprise.
Represented by a Chief Scientific Officer, Uduak Ekpa, Dr. Abiola-Awe added, “Nigeria generates over 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually comprising a wide range of waste types, including, food waste, plastics, paper, textiles, metals, glass and hazardous materials such as electronic and medical waste. These waste streams pose distinct challenges and require tailored approach for collection, treatment and disposal.”
The workshops had participants drawn from Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government including Federal Ministry of Environment, Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Ministry of Youth Development Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria, Women Environmental Programme, as well as recyclers.
Participants analyzed best practices from the different parts of the world and made recommendations.
FCT Designated for Implementation of NESREA / UNEP Innovative Waste Management Pilot Project
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
•••771 to Graduate in Nigeria in 2025
•••Otuaro Hails Scholars’ Performances
By: Michael Mike
Nine students awarded foreign post-graduate scholarships by the Presidential Amnesty Programme have graduated from their master’s degree rprogrammes in universities in the United Kingdom.
The successful scholars are the first graduates in the offshore post-graduate scholarship deployment to UK institutions by the PAP Administrator, Dr Dennis Otuaro, for the 2024-2025 academic session.
They graduated from the Anglia Ruskin University, University of Dundee and The University of Law with master’s degrees in cyber security, data science and engineering, law, construction and civil engineering management, project management, and ICT.
Also, 711 undergraduate and post-graduate scholarship beneficiaries are expected to graduate from universities within Nigeria this year.
The PAP, on Wednesday, 3 December, 2025, organised a graduation reception for the scholars in London.
Otuaro has congratulated them on their successful graduation, stressing that they completed their programmes in record time which shows the seriousness they had put into their studies.
He said they have justified the Federal Government’s investment in their education with their successful graduation, and urged other beneficiaries not to be distracted in their academic pursuits.
“We congratulate these scholars on their successful graduation. It shows that they took their studies seriously. That is what we demand of every scholarship beneficiary, whether at the undergraduate or post-graduate level”, Otuaro said.
He reiterated his unwavering commitment to expanding the scholarship scheme to create more opportunities for indigent students of Niger Delta extraction to access higher education with a view to closing the human capital development gap in the region.
Otuaro said it was for this reason he deployed 3800 beneficiaries in-country in the 2024-2025 academic year, and increased the figure to 3900 in the 2025-2026 academic session with 200 for foreign scholarships.
Otuaro has so far deployed 7700 students for the PAP scholarship scheme within Nigeria in less than two years.
Within this period, also, he has also deployed 162 students from the region for post-graduate programmes in targeted disciplines in the UK universities.
According to him, this is in conformity with the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu for the Niger Delta, who has given unprecedented support to the PAP because of his sincere love for the area.
The PAP boss said, “Our decision aligns with the Renewed Hope Agenda of His Excellency, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR for the Niger Delta. We will continue to create more higher educational opportunities for students from indigent backgrounds in our region.
“We are also deepening the implementation of the programme’s mandate in informal education and other areas for the sustainable peace and socio-economic advancement of the region.”
Nine PAP Foreign Scholarship Beneficiaries Bag Master’s Degrees From UK Varsities
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
By: Michael Mike
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited has been incorporated to seamlessly allowed for the Refinery and Free Trade Zone in Ondo State.
A press statement on Thursday read that: “In furtherance of our commitment to the execution of these two major projects – Refinery and Free Trade Zone in conjunction with the Ondo State Government, the joint partners have taken another giant step by incorporating a joint company, namely – SUNSHINE JOINT VENTURE INFRASTRUCTURE LIMITED – as the vehicle to be used in executing these projects. A move that further reinforces the sincerity of purpose and total commitment of the funding partners to move ahead together as a united front.
According to the release by Wale Adekola on behalf of the JV, the Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limitedwill, going forward serve as the vehicle to work with the Ondo State Government through the Ondo State Investment Promotion Agency (ONDIPA) in the implementation of the executed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs).
The statement added that: “In moving the projects forward for implementation, the JV team met in Dubai to finalize the funding modalities and put in place structures and plans for the commencement of activities for ground breaking and community engagements. These initial activities are aimed at complementing the 50th Anniversary of the creation of Ondo State and the one year anniversary of the election of the Executive Governor of the Sunshine State, His Excellency, Chief Lucky Orimisan Aiyedatiwa CFR.
At the Dubai meeting were key officers of the JV Company, including: Messrs SALEHI FARHAD; ZAHERI NAVID; EGHBAL KORDJAMSHIDI; SAHEED ZAHERI; DR. STEPHEN DIKE; HENRY OWONKA AND MRS. NAMVAR MARYAM.
The statement further informed that, plans have been concluded to mobilize the relevant contractors working with the locals and host communities to put up structures that will host the information center, architectural models to showcase the projects on offer and facilities that will serve the team. All these are being planned with ONDIPA to execute the relocation and accommodation of the host communities that are likely to be affected by the projects and create a seamless transition that will engender peaceful co-existence and harmonious relationship with our host communities.
The JV company further reiterated its commitment to work with Ondo State Government (through ONDIPA) to change the infrastructural landscape of the Sunshine State and for mutual benefits.
Sunshine Joint Venture Infrastructure Limited Established for Realization of Ondo Project
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
By: Zagazola Makama
Seven suspected bandits were arrested along the Benin–Agbor Road in Edo State during stop-and-search operations, security sources confirmed.
Sources told Zagazola Makama that the suspects, all Fulani youths, were intercepted after being offloaded from a truck at about 1800 hours on 2 December 2025. A search revealed pictures of assault rifles, including AK-47s, on their mobile phones.
Upon interrogation, the suspects claimed to have travelled from Adamawa State. Investigations are ongoing for the possible recovery of actual firearms and to determine their involvement in criminal activities.
Security agencies have urged members of the public to report any suspicious movements to help prevent criminal acts in the area.
Edo: Seven suspected bandits arrested along Benin-Agbor Road
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