PROTEGO’s Visits to Marine Litter Hotspots in Nigeria

The PROTEGO team in Nigeria conducted a series of impactful site visits to Nsidung, a key marine litter hotspot in Calabar, Cross River State. These visits aimed to deepen community engagement, assess waste pollution sources, and build strategic partnerships for effective intervention. The team met with community leaders, fishermen, and market traders, gathering valuable firsthand insights into the challenges of plastic waste pollution in the region.

The visit also included high-level discussions with the Deputy Head of Calabar South Local Government and the Commissioner of Environment. Both leaders expressed strong support for the PROTEGO project, emphasizing their commitment to collaborating on sustainable solutions to mitigate marine litter. Their involvement strengthens the project’s ability to align with local governance frameworks, ensuring that interventions are effective and scalable.

As part of their tour, the PROTEGO team visited the Qua River bank at the University of Calabar, where they identified numerous drainage channels discharging significant amounts of waste into the river. This assessment highlights the urgent need for improved waste management infrastructure and pollution prevention strategies to protect local waterways from further degradation.

These engagements reinforce PROTEGO’s mission of reducing marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea through innovative, sustainable solutions. By working closely with local authorities, community members, and industry partners, the project is laying a strong foundation for long-term impact in Nigeria and Ghana.