The Director of the Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health at the Federal Ministry of Environment, Mrs Bahijjahtu Abubakar, has clarified that Nigeria imports two specific types of waste from the European Union under the 1991 Basel Convention, which governs the transboundary movement of waste. These include mutilated rags and fibre, as well as Refuse Derived Fuel (RDF), which is used for energy generation in cement kilns during cement production.
Abubakar explained that the mutilated rags are recycled into raw materials for Nigeria’s textile industry, where they are used to produce items such as sweaters, blankets, and baby shawls. Meanwhile, the RDF is utilised in cement production processes.
Her comments come amid criticism from environmental activists and civil society organisations, who have raised concerns over Nigeria’s request to import non-hazardous waste from the EU. Abubakar emphasised that the imports are strictly regulated and serve specific industrial purposes. She noted that the approval process is rigorous and can take years, with both exporting and importing countries required to ensure the materials are used as intended.
Last month, the European Commission revealed that Nigeria, alongside 23 other non-members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), had requested inclusion on the list of countries eligible to import non-hazardous waste from the EU. Non-hazardous waste, which makes up 95.6% of solid waste produced in Europe, includes items such as packaging, clothing, bottles, plastics, and demolition materials like concrete and bricks.
The request aligns with the EU’s new Waste Shipments Regulation, introduced as part of its Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan. Other countries seeking similar approvals include Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, and Vietnam, among others.
However, civil society groups have criticised Nigeria’s request, arguing that the country and other African nations have already become dumping grounds for obsolete electronics and e-waste.
In response, Abubakar stressed that Nigeria is not importing plastics but only the two specific types of waste needed for industrial purposes. She stated, “We are importing these because we need them for cement production, blankets, baby shawls, sweaters, and knitting wool production. These are the only two wastes we import, and we do not have them locally. This is the essence of the Basel Convention – the transboundary movement of waste.”
She further explained that the process involves a “Prior Informed Consent” (PIC) mechanism, where the exporting country takes full responsibility for ensuring the waste is used as intended. “The exporting country demands that we use the materials for the stated purposes. Nigeria processes the documents, inspects the shipment, and ensures compliance. The materials cannot be used for anything else,” she added.
Abubakar also highlighted that the Federal Ministry of Environment was established to oversee such processes, noting that the import of these materials has been ongoing since the Basel Convention came into effect in 1991. She concluded, “It’s not as if many industries are not applying, but the approval process is so rigorous that it can take up to 10 years. These are the only two wastes we import, and they are essential for our industries.”
