Frankfurt, Germany—a city known for its sleek skyline, crisp air, and solid waste management. My good friend Rafael Osterloh ensured I had his brother as a guide through the bustling, yet somehow tranquil, streets of Frankfurt.
We walked along the serene River Main and stumbled upon an ancient pizza shop that boldly claimed to have “the best pizza in the world.” Let’s just say, two bites in, and we knew that statement was as overblown as a Wale Adenuga super story soap opera plot twist!
But hey, this isn’t about pizza, or even Germany. As I sit here reflecting on this vibrant city, my mind keeps wandering back to my home country—Nigeria.
Ah, Nigeria! Home to some of the most resilient people on the planet, jollof rice wars with African neighbours – Ghana, Senegal, Cameroon and now, a burgeoning conversation about the circular economy and just transition. Let’s dive in, shall we?
What’s a circular economy, anyway?
Picture this: You buy a plastic bottle of water from Shoprite. You drink the water. Then, instead of tossing the bottle, you use it to plant some herbs.
That’s a tiny glimpse of what a circular economy looks like—an economy where we keep resources in use for as long as possible, extracting maximum value from them, and then recover and regenerate products at the end of their life. It’s not just recycling, it is recycling – on steroids!
The interesting thing about the idea of circular economy is that it is not entirely novel – although it certainly seemed so to me when I first encountered it in 2020 through the United Nations Systems Staff College course – Circular Economy and the 2030 Agenda. In truth, nature has constantly revealed that the path to sustainability is rooted in cycles.
A few examples:
-Water cycle (Hydrological cycle): Water evaporates from the Earth’s surface (oceans, lakes), condenses into clouds, and falls back to the ground as precipitation (rain, snow). The water returns to oceans, rivers, and lakes, or seeps into the ground to replenish aquifers, repeating the cycle.
Carbon cycle: Plants absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) during photosynthesis, converting it into oxygen and organic matter. When plants and animals respire or decompose, CO2 is released back into the atmosphere. Carbon is also stored in the soil, oceans, and fossil fuels, contributing to long-term carbon storage and release.
Life cycle of organisms: Organisms grow, reproduce, and eventually die. Their decomposition provides nutrients for other organisms, completing a circle of life. For instance, a plant grows, an animal eats it, and when the animal dies, its body decomposes to nourish the soil, supporting future plant growth.
Nature abhors waste, yet as humans, we live our daily lives saddled with a predisposition to waste. From plastic bags that hold our bread, to boxes that hold clothes we’ll never wear and desire for 50-room mansions. We waste food, space, resources – even time! Cue social media, but that’s a discussion for another day.
In contrast to the traditional man-made take-make-dispose linear economy model, the circular economy aims to reduce, reuse, recycle, and maybe even repurpose. If that sounds like a plan to tackle Nigeria’s waste and resource management issues, you’d be right!
Why is Nigeria interested in a circular economy?
Nigeria, with its bustling 36 states, federal capital and vast rural landscapes, has a love-hate relationship with waste. Lagos, for instance, generates over 10,000 metric tons of waste daily.
While that number sounds like a logistical nightmare for a state with a population of over 17,000,000 people, it’s also an opportunity for a circular economy to swoop in to rescue valuable materials from landfills and put them to good use.
Moreover, the Nigerian government is becoming increasingly interested in sustainable development. With key industries like agriculture, oil, and manufacturing contributing heavily to environmental degradation, the circular economy offers a greener and more efficient way forward.
And it’s not just about saving the planet—there’s money to be made too. Circular
Economy practices in sectors like plastic recycling, textile repurposing, and even tech refurbishing can open new revenue streams for businesses and create jobs for the population.
So, what’s this about a “Just Transition”?
Ah, the “just transition.” It’s like that friend of mine – you know yourself, who always insists, “We can’t just save the planet, we have to do it fairly.” A just transition means ensuring that as Nigeria shifts to a more sustainable economy, the workers, industries, and communities dependent on traditional, often polluting, industries aren’t left in the dust (or worse, jobless).
Nigeria has an economy deeply rooted in fossil fuels, especially oil. While the oil sector has been a major driver of economic growth, it has also contributed to inequality and environmental damage. A just transition would help workers and communities that rely on these industries find alternative livelihoods—whether that’s in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, or the circular economy.
Circular Economy + Just Transition = A match made in Nigeria?
Absolutely! Nigeria is in a prime position to benefit from this union of ideas. On one hand, the circular economy promises to reduce waste and create new economic opportunities. On the other, the just transition ensures that the benefits of these new opportunities are shared equitably, particularly among the poor, rural, and vulnerable populations.
Take agriculture, for example. A circular economy approach could see agricultural waste (like rice husks or cocoa shells) being repurposed into biofuel or packaging materials. At the same time, a just transition would ensure that farmers, particularly smallholders, aren’t pushed out by large corporations during this green shift.
Challenges, but opportunities too!
Of course, there are challenges. Implementing a circular economy at scale in Nigeria will require infrastructure, education, and policy frameworks that support sustainable practices. The government’s apparent enthusiasm to be on the right side of climate change discussions, evident in Nigeria’s Nationally Determined Contribution must be backed by establishing and ensuring coherence in socio-economic policies.
There’s also the challenge of cultural mindsets—getting people to see waste as a resource can be as hard as convincing a Nigerian mum in Adamawa state to stop saving used plastic bags. (Good luck with that!)
However, the opportunities are immense. With the right investment in skills, education, and infrastructure, Nigeria could become a leader, alongside pace-setters Rwanda, Morocco and Kenya, in the African circular economy space, showcasing how developing countries can transition to more sustainable models while ensuring fair outcomes for all.
The shift to a circular economy and a just transition isn’t just a pipe dream for Nigeria—it’s already happening. From grassroots recycling initiatives in Lagos to government policy discussions, the seeds are being sown.
And who knows? Maybe one day, Nigeria will be known not just for its sumptuous jollof rice, sprawling youth population, and majestic Afrobeats, but also for its thriving, sustainable, and inclusive economy.
Now, wouldn’t that be something to jollof about?
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