In a bold demonstration of corporate environmental stewardship, Nestlé Nigeria has completed its sixth annual nationwide clean-up and community sensitization campaign, reaffirming its long-standing commitment to sustainability and plastic waste reduction.
The initiative, organized in partnership with the African Clean-Up Initiative (ACI) and local authorities, mobilized 516 Nestlé Cares volunteers drawn from the company’s head office, branch offices, and factories. Over 11 Nigerian cities participated in the clean-up drive, which targeted major market areas known for their high waste generation.
Key locations included Oke-Arin Market in Lagos, Utako Market in Abuja, Abubakar Rimi Market in Kano, Satellite Market in Jos, and Bodija Market in Ibadan, among others. The coordinated effort resulted in the removal of 5,601 kilograms of solid waste and 379.2 kilograms of recyclable materials, signaling a successful collaboration between corporate volunteers and local communities.
At the Lagos activation, Mrs. Victoria Uwadoka, Lead, Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria, highlighted the campaign’s alignment with this year’s World Environment Day theme, “Curbing Plastic Pollution.”
“At Nestlé, our commitment to fighting plastic waste is integral to our vision of a waste-free future. Through our partnerships with organizations such as FBRA, Alef Recycling, Wecyclers, Chanja Datti, and MECOM, we are advancing circularity in the plastics value chain,” she stated.
Mrs. Uwadoka also spotlighted the company’s Employee Plastics Collection Scheme (EPCS) launched in 2022, which has diverted 5,922 kg of plastic waste from landfills. Since 2019, Nestlé Nigeria has successfully recovered over 61,000 metric tons of plastic from the environment.
Dr. Alex Akhigbe, Founder of ACI, praised the initiative’s broader impact, calling it “a sustainability movement rooted in collaboration and circular economy principles.”
“Every bottle collected and conversation initiated contributes to building a culture of environmental consciousness,” he said, urging collective responsibility in the fight against plastic pollution.
Nestlé Cares, the employee volunteering platform through which this initiative was executed, reflects Nestlé Nigeria’s integrated approach to sustainability by empowering staff to engage in meaningful community action.
As Africa’s leading food and beverage company, Nestlé Nigeria continues to lead by example in sustainability practices, ensuring not only the availability of nutritious food but also a cleaner and healthier environment for future generations.