NIGERIA’s escalating electronic waste crisis has reached a critical point, demanding immediate and unified national action. This was the consensus at the 2025 ITREALMS E-Waste Dialogue, where regulators and industry leaders called for a concrete national strategy.
Prof. Innocent Barikor, Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), issued a stark warning, stating that the nation’s growing e-waste is not just an environmental issue but a health crisis and a missed economic opportunity.
Represented by Chief Scientific Officer Olaide Oyedele-Taiwo, Barikor emphasised that Nigeria must position itself as a key player in the circular economy by recovering valuable materials like lithium and cobalt from discarded electronics, rather than allowing them to poison communities.
He highlighted the dangers of informal recycling, which releases hazardous materials like lead and mercury, calling irresponsible e-waste disposal a “silent killer.”
The event’s convener, Ogbuefi Remmy Nweke of ITREALMS Media Group, noted that with Nigeria now generating an estimated 1.2 million tonnes of e-waste annually, the conversation has moved beyond awareness to demanding practical solutions.
The event’s theme, “Nigeria: Recycle Your e-Waste … It’s Critical!” was described as a direct call to action for both national strategy and individual responsibility.
A key announcement from Prof. Barikor was the Federal Government’s commitment to the full implementation of the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) programme.
He stated that the EPR regulations are enforceable laws, not mere guidelines, and signalled that NESREA would intensify compliance efforts, with stringent enforcement for violators. The programme places the responsibility for managing the end-of-life of electronic products on their manufacturers and producers.
Nweke concluded by framing e-waste as not only an environmental issue but also a matter of public health, economic opportunity, and national security, with the Dialogue aiming to produce actionable policy recommendations.
