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Waste pickers in Lagos have called for formal recognition and inclusion in Nigeria’s circular economy drive.
Mr. Friday Oku, President of the Association of Scraps and Wastepickers of Lagos (ASWOL), made the call on Sunday, March 1, 2026, to commemorate International Waste Pickers’ Day.
The theme for the 2026 International Waste Pickers’ Day is “Zero Waste and Circular Economy Initiative: No Sustainability without Waste Pickers.”
Oku said sustainability was impossible without waste pickers.
According to him, they recover, sort, and return valuable materials to productive use daily.
He said: “Our activities reduce landfill pressure, prevent pollution, conserve resources, and support climate action.”
He added that waste pickers practiced the circular economy long before it became a global concept.
However, he lamented that many waste pickers operated without formal recognition, social protection, or safe working conditions.
Oku urged governments and private sector stakeholders to recognise waste pickers as environmental service providers.
He also called for inclusive waste policies, occupational safety measures, fair compensation, and greater participation in formal waste management systems.
He reiterated that zero waste could not be achieved through policy alone, but through the people driving daily environmental action.
ASWOL is affiliated with the International Alliance of Waste Pickers.
By Fabian Ekeruche
