By Abbas Nazil
The inauguration of an Advisory Council for the Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) has been described as a bold step towards repositioning Nigeria’s waste management sector and protecting the waste pickers dignity.
This view was canvassed by Professor Abdulhameed Danjuma Mambo, Dean of Environmental Sciences of Nile University of Nigeria in a cerebral paper he presented at the inauguration event on Monday in Abuja.
Prof Mambo noted that the newly constituted council would play a central role in providing strategic guidance, governance oversight, and institutional credibility to WAPAN’s mission of transforming the lives of waste pickers across Nigeria.
He emphasized that the council’s formation was not ceremonial but a necessary intervention at a time when Nigeria’s waste management challenges continue to grow in scale and complexity.
According to him, Nigeria generates an estimated 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually, a significant portion of which is managed by informal waste pickers who operate without adequate protection, recognition, or institutional support.
He noted that despite their critical contribution to environmental sustainability and public health, many waste pickers remain unregistered, uninsured, and exposed to hazardous conditions, including toxic substances and physical injuries.
Professor Mambo stressed that addressing these challenges requires deliberate policy frameworks, investment in infrastructure, and a shift in public perception toward recognizing waste pickers as essential service providers rather than marginalized workers.
He explained that the Advisory Council is expected to guide WAPAN in shaping legislation, designing sustainable financing models, and ensuring governance structures that meet international standards of transparency and accountability.
Highlighting the importance of credibility, he added that the presence of experienced professionals and national figures on the council would strengthen WAPAN’s engagement with policymakers, development partners, and investors.
He also called for innovative funding approaches such as public-private partnerships, green financing, and social enterprise models to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s waste sector.
Drawing from his personal experience working as a dishwasher while studying abroad, Professor Mambo underscored the importance of dignity in all forms of labor, arguing that respect for waste pickers must be institutionalized through policies and societal change.
He said waste pickers, who often begin work before dawn sorting through refuse, should be seen as frontline environmental workers whose contributions sustain cleaner cities and healthier communities.
The professor urged members of the Advisory Council to adopt an active approach by engaging in policy advocacy, partnership building, and governance reform, rather than serving in passive or symbolic roles.
He encouraged the council to commit to measurable outcomes, including improving waste pickers’ income levels and expanding access to social protections.
He further called on stakeholders across government, private sector, and civil society to collaborate with WAPAN in creating opportunities that would allow waste pickers and their families to transition into safer and more sustainable livelihoods.
The speech also highlighted WAPAN’s progress under its current leadership, noting that the association has evolved into a national platform advocating for environmental justice and social inclusion.
Professor Mambo concluded by describing the inauguration as a turning point, signaling WAPAN’s readiness to scale its impact and become a global model for empowering informal sector workers.
Himself being a member, he reaffirmed the Council’s commitment to ensuring that Nigeria’s waste policies reflect the lived realities of those who work daily within the sector, pledging continued advocacy until waste pickers receive the dignity, protection, and recognition they deserve.
The Advisory Council is chaired by His Highness, Alhaji Muhammad Yusuf, Sa’in Lere and includes Engr. Mansur Ahmed, former Executive Director of Dangote Industries; Hajia Ladi Katagum, former Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission; Ms Funto Borofice, Founder/CEO of Chanja Datti; Mrs Agharese Lucia Onaghise, Executive Director of ERRA, and Comrade Salisu Ali Yarima, WAPAN President.
Other members of the Council are Mrs Amaka Onyemelukwe of the Coca-Cola Foundation; Prof. Abdulhameed Danjuma Mambo, Dean of Environmental Sciences at Nile University of Nigeria; Engr. Haydar Mijinyawa of FOSSREA; Alhaji Ali Sabo Yakasai; and Alhaji Suleiman Adama, who serves as Secretary to the Council.
The event also featured goodwill messages from representatives major stakeholders of the environment sector including Engr (Dr.) Bahijjatu Abubakar, Director of Pollution Control, Federal Ministry of Environment; Mrs. Hannatu Ibrahim, Director of Environment, AMAC; Mr. Aliu Akoshile, Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of NatureNews; and RUWES Head of Secretariat, Mrs Jumaima Ellah.