A major environmental campaign has kicked off across 17 states as the Sterling One Foundation, working with Sterling Bank and the African Cleanup Initiative (ACI), mobilised volunteers for a nationwide beach and street clean-up aimed at reducing Nigeria’s escalating plastic pollution.
The exercise began on Saturday at Alpha Beach in Lagos, where volunteers, community members and environmental groups gathered to remove heaps of plastic waste littering the shoreline.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the Sterling One Foundation, Mrs. Olapeju Ibekwe, said the project was created to confront lingering waste management challenges, particularly in coastal areas that are heavily burdened by plastic debris. She explained that the initiative also highlights how recovered plastics can be recycled and converted into economic value through systems like Waste Bank, which enables residents to trade plastic waste for credits used to pay school fees and medical bills.
“This clean-up is one piece of a larger campaign to foster environmental responsibility and support a circular economy,” she said, noting that widespread public involvement remains essential to protecting marine and coastal environments.
Mr. Akpore Idenedo, Divisional Head of Commercial Banking at Sterling Bank, said the bank’s involvement reflects its commitment to safeguarding the environment. He pointed out that Nigeria generates between two and 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with Lagos contributing nearly half of that volume.
“These plastics clog drainage channels, damage marine life and worsen flooding. No single institution can tackle this alone. Teamwork is the only way forward,” he said.