Strengthening Strategic Collaboration with NESREA

On Monday, 23 June 2025, the PROTEGO team conducted a courtesy visit to Prof. Innocent Barikor, the Director General of the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in Abuja. The meeting marked a pivotal moment in strengthening strategic collaboration between PROTEGO and NESREA, with discussions centered on Nigeria’s national priorities for circular economy policy and the country’s planned mandatory Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system.

Prof. Barikor welcomed the team warmly and shared his vision for a future where Nigeria’s environmental governance is proactive, inclusive, and grounded in circularity. He emphasized that the upcoming Capacity Building Workshop on EPR, co-organized by NESREA and PROTEGO, will serve as a catalyst for bridging policy and practice across multiple sectors. By engaging public authorities, producer responsibility organisations, manufacturers, recyclers, and informal actors, the workshop is expected to build the foundational understanding needed for EPR enforcement nationwide.

The Director General’s enthusiastic endorsement of PROTEGO’s objectives highlighted NESREA’s institutional commitment to regulatory innovation, particularly in advancing mechanisms that hold producers accountable for the entire lifecycle of their products. The visit also reflected NESREA’s intent to take a leadership role in ensuring that Nigeria’s transition to a circular economy is guided by strong policy frameworks, evidence-based planning, and multistakholder engagement.

Importantly, this engagement symbolized more than just a show of support, it underscored the growing sense of national ownership over Nigeria’s circular economy transition. With regulatory agencies such as NESREA actively aligning with initiatives like PROTEGO, the groundwork is being laid for a more resilient, environmentally responsible production and consumption system in Nigeria.