Environment
THE Association of Waste Managers of Nigeria AWAMN has called for stronger partnerships and structured training frameworks to address skill gaps in construction, demolition and disaster waste management across the country.
The National President of AWAMN, Dr Olugbenga Adebola, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria NAN on Thursday in Lagos.
NAN reports that Adebola spoke against the backdrop of Green Waste Remediation and Recycling Vocational Training GROW workshop held recently in Lagos.
The workshop was organised by the Lagos Waste Management Authority LAWMA in collaboration with the European Union on construction and demolition waste.
He noted that the workshop was timely, given the growing need for technical expertise in handling construction, demolition and disaster waste, collectively described as CDDW.
According to him, Lagos generates significant volumes of disaster waste due to frequent building collapses, making it necessary to broaden the scope beyond construction and demolition waste alone.
“It is not just construction and demolition waste; we must also include disaster waste.
“Lagos, in particular, produces a lot of this due to recurring building collapses,” he said.
He expressed the association’s commitment to continued collaboration with LAWMA, the European Union and other stakeholders to enhance vocational and technical capacity in the waste management sector.
He disclosed that the association was developing a Waste Management Resource Centre, which would serve as a hub for research, data and training.
According to him, the centre, to be housed within the association’s new secretariat building, will provide a repository of knowledge on waste management in Nigeria and across Africa.
“The facility will support research activities, including work by international scholars, and provide access to data and information on waste management practices,” he said.
He added that the association was seeking partnerships with international organisations, including the European Union, to support the establishment and operation of the centre.
He stressed the need to professionalise waste management, noting that the sector now requires specialised technical knowledge rather than being treated as an all-comers field.
He also revealed plans to develop a standardised curriculum for vocational and technical training covering all aspects of waste management, including recycling, resource recovery and waste-to-energy conversion.
According to him, AWAMN members play a central role in waste collection and are increasingly exploring opportunities in waste disposal site management, an area he described as challenging but critical.
He emphasised the importance of transitioning from a linear to a circular economy, where waste is treated as a resource.
“We are committed to ensuring Nigeria moves from a linear to a circular economy through improved waste management practices,” he said.
The AWAMN president further called for stronger Federal Government involvement to create an enabling environment for effective waste management nationwide.
He noted that while Lagos had made significant progress, a coordinated national approach was necessary to achieve sustainable results.
“Waste management must be addressed at the national level. You cannot have efficiency in one state while others lag behind,” he said.
He reaffirmed the association’s readiness to collaborate with the federal, state and international partners to drive reforms and improve environmental sustainability across Nigeria. NAN
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APR. 16, 2026
Tags: ADEBOLA AWAMN CDDW lagos LAWMA waste