BY OBASA IDRIS OLUWANISHOLA
The Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) have launched the construction of a Japan-funded pilot plastic recycling plant in Jabi District of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), marking a new phase of international support for Nigeria’s waste management sector.
The facility, expected to be completed within 30 days, will be managed by leading waste management company Chanja Datti Ltd., which was selected to fund, operate, and maintain the site after construction.0p
Speaking at the handover of the site to contractor FEM-FASH Global Resources Ltd. Recently Chanja Datti Chief Financial Officer, Kehinde Olusola, said the project aligns with the firm’s 10th anniversary and its decade-long commitment to environmental sustainability.
“Chanja Datti has been a big player in the recycling business for 10 years, and we continue to invest more into sustainability,” Olusola said. “This partnership with AEPB and UNIDO demonstrates the confidence in our capacity to manage the project effectively.”
UNIDO Project Field Coordinator Charles Uzoma explained that the plant is part of a broader initiative funded by the Government of Japan to curb plastic pollution in Nigeria’s major cities. Similar pilot projects are underway in Lagos, specifically in Lekki and Yaba.
“When the civil works are completed, UNIDO will supply equipment to collect plastics in Jabi, which will then be processed here either by baling or crushing and later sent to processing centres,” Uzoma said. “This is the first facility of its kind in Abuja, and it shows what government–private sector collaboration can achieve.”
Director of AEPB, Engr. Braimah Osilama, represented by Director of Solid Waste Management Benjamin Enwerem, commended UNIDO for initiating the project, noting its potential to reduce plastic waste, improve public health, and mitigate urban flooding.
The plant is to serve as a model for future recycling infrastructure in Abuja and beyond, supporting Nigeria’s efforts to meet its environmental commitments under the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
