Lasting environmental progress depends on collective ownership – Uwadoka

 

…As coalition delivers nationwide environmental action across 12 locations

 

Victoria Uwadoka, lead corporate affairs and sustainability, Nestlé Nigeria, has said that lasting environmental progress depends on collective ownership by Nigerians.

“Lasting environmental progress depends on that sense of collective ownership, and it is often through small actions taken together that meaningful change begins,” Uwadoka stated during a recent stakeholders coordinated action to support environmental stewardship and responsible waste management.

According to Uwadoka, environmental progress is most sustainable when communities take ownership as active participants rather than observers.

“What encouraged us most this year was not only the volume of waste recovered, but the willingness of volunteers, partners and community members to work together towards a shared goal,” she stated.

Read also: Nestlé Nigeria’s 12-city clean-up push highlights corporate bet on circular economy

Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, stated that addressing environmental challenges requires consistent action at all levels.

“Initiatives such as this demonstrate how government, private sector and communities can work together to drive responsible environmental practices and deliver real impact,” stated Lawal, who was represented by Adeola Omotunde, director, Pollution Control and Environmental Health Department, Federal Ministry of Environment.

Nestlé Nigeria, working alongside coalition partners, recently completed the 2026 World Environment Day community sensitisation and clean-up campaign across 12 locations nationwide.

According to reports by the African Clean-Up Initiative (ACI) and the Recyclers Association of Nigeria (RAN), a total of 4,507.8kg of solid waste and 48.2kg of recyclable waste was recovered, through the efforts of 424 volunteers across the 12 locations.

The recovered waste was channelled through appropriate recycling and disposal pathways, contributing to cleaner public spaces and supporting broader efforts to reduce waste leakage into the environment.

“Nigeria’s plastic pollution challenge requires bold, collaborative action, and this initiative demonstrates the value of bringing together communities, partners and the private sector around a shared goal,” Esther Chibueyin Fagbo, the representative of the Country Manager of the National Plastics Action Partnership (NPAP).

The nationwide activation was driven by Nestlé Cares volunteers, the company’s employee volunteering programme, alongside volunteers from the 15 organisations participating in the coalition unveiled ahead of World Environment Day.

Across Lagos, Abuja, Agbara, Jos, Kano, Enugu, Awka, Ota, Abaji, Sagamu, Port Harcourt and Ibadan, volunteers worked alongside community members in structured clean-up and sensitization activities designed to strengthen environmental awareness and encourage responsible waste management practices.

As Nestlé Nigeria continues to work with partners, communities and stakeholders to create shared value, the initiative demonstrates how collective action can contribute to cleaner environments, stronger waste recovery systems and more sustainable communities.

The company remains committed to supporting collaborative approaches that help advance circular economy outcomes across Nigeria.