Stakeholders urge stronger policies against Nigeria’s escalating marine debris crisis

By Abbas Nazil
Maritime industry stakeholders have issued an urgent call for Nigeria to strengthen its national policy framework to address the country’s growing marine debris crisis, warning that unregulated waste disposal is now a direct threat to biodiversity, maritime operations, and coastal livelihoods.
The call was made at the annual summit of the Shipping Correspondents Association of Nigeria (SCAN) held in Lagos, where participants emphasized that the country can no longer afford to treat the issue as a distant environmental challenge.
With Nigeria ranked as the 9th largest contributor of marine litter globally and one of Africa’s top sources of mismanaged plastic waste in the Gulf of Guinea, the stakes are high.
According to National Geographic, over eight million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans annually, and projections indicate that this could rise to between 23 and 27 million tonnes by 2040.
Nigeria alone generates 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste each year, much of which ends up in waterways, disrupting marine ecosystems and transport routes.
Abubakar Dantsoho, Managing Director of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), speaking through Capt. Femi Oyewole, principal manager, marine at NPA, stressed that the dangers posed by marine debris—ranging from the entanglement of marine life to the ingestion of plastics by fish, seabirds, and mammals—are no longer theoretical but increasingly visible.
Dantsoho said the NPA has already taken steps to mitigate the problem by equipping its four pilotage districts—Lagos, Delta, Bonny/Port Harcourt, and Calabar—with ship waste reception facilities.
These facilities are capable of managing everything from plastics and oily rags to food waste and hazardous materials in line with environmental standards.
The NPA also engages in regular cleanup operations around berths and navigational routes to prevent waste buildup, protect marine biodiversity, and facilitate uninterrupted port operations.
Similarly, Pius Akutah, CEO of the Nigerian Shippers Council (NSC), represented by Adeshina Sarumi, deputy director of monitoring and enforcement, highlighted the danger posed by floating debris and shipwrecks in inland waterways.
He warned that such obstructions undermine Nigeria’s inland water transport system and impede economic activities.
Bolaji Oyebamiji, Managing Director of the National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), emphasized the importance of community participation in solving the problem. While government agencies are making efforts, he said, the public must also take responsibility.
He noted that Nigerians consume over 94 million sachets of water daily, and much of the plastic ends up in rivers and oceans.
Oyebamiji called for intensified public education to change waste disposal habits and increase awareness of the long-term consequences of pollution.
Stakeholders acknowledged that Nigeria already has a marine litter action plan, but said the plan’s effectiveness depends on a combined effort from government institutions, industry players, and coastal residents.
They reiterated that marine debris is not just a national problem but a global one, requiring both local action and international cooperation.
Without urgent and sustained interventions, the health of Nigeria’s marine environment and the economic activities that depend on it remain at serious risk.