The Federal Government on Tuesday said Nigeria consumes more than 2.5 billion litres of sachet (pure) water each year and launched a new project to cut single-use sachet pollution while keeping safe drinking water accessible.
Prof. Innocent Barikor, director-general of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), said the “Circular Solutions to Plastic Pollution in Nigeria” initiative will reduce sachet consumption and tackle plastic waste that clogs drains and harms ecosystems.
“This dual challenge of water access and plastic pollution makes this project not just timely, but necessary,” he said.
Barikor told an inception meeting in Abuja that more than 32,000 sachet manufacturers operate nationwide and that while sachets have “helped bridge gaps in access to drinking water, it has also resulted in severe environmental consequences.”
International partners pledged support.
Isabella Vanderbeck of the United Nations Environment Programme urged urgent action: “Life without plastic is truly fantastic, let us hit the ground, let us do away with plastic,” she said, while GEF’s Evelyn Swain said the fund would back efforts to reduce single-use sachets “while ensuring accessible and safe drinking water.”
Mrs. Zuliat Mohammed of the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation said the ministry was ready to work with NESREA: “This programme will help Nigeria eliminate all these plastic products in the country.”
The project will adopt a circular approach — prevention, policy reform, innovation and waste management — and officials said it aims to balance environmental goals with continued access to safe drinking water for communities.
