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In this interview, Mr. Muibi Babatunde Adedeji, a former Project Manager in the Ministry of the Environment, Lagos State, tells our correspondent, BENEDICTA BASSEY, that there are many opportunities that are yet to be tapped in the recycling industry in Nigeria. He also shares ideas on the ways the youths can venture into the business and rake in good income.
What can Nigerians benefit from recycling business?
Nigeria generates more than 42 million tonnes of solid waste such as scrap tyres, plastic, aluminum metals, used equipment and household waste.
While there is a huge attention focused on recycling plastics, glass and paper recycling, very few concerns are tires which are improperly disposed of around the country daily with financial opportunities lying fallow.
Currently, over 10 million waste tyres, plastics and the likes are discarded annually in Nigeria. These wastes have huge negative impacts on health and environment as they serve as good breeding grounds for cockroaches, houseflies and also create stagnant water which serves as breeding grounds for mosquitoes that spread various diseases like typhoid fever, malaria among others.
Therefore, recycling these items can serve a good use to the economy by boosting growth and development as well as enhancing the country’s financial capacity. When the people take the business of waste recycling seriously, it will generate good income and reduce environmental degradation.
How long have you been in the recycling business and what is your evaluation of the industry so far?
I worked as a Project Manager with the Ministry of the Environment from 2006 to 2015 before I ventured into waste collection with recycling companies.
Recycling in Nigeria has come a long way since the early 70s when we still had the Ajaokuta Steel rolling mills, Toyo Glass Company at Agbara Industrial Estate, diverse paper rolling mills and others then. Those existing industries went down the drain when Nigeria decided to be importing finished products. For five years now, China has come to our rescue. The Chinese came and started recycling which Nigerians saw as a waste that could not be touched.
I have been in the recycling business with the support of Lagos State government through the Ministry of the environment when the ministry introduced a climate change programme, advocating waste to wealth in the state.
Are there opportunities in the business, what are the untapped areas of opportunities one can venture in and the estimate of a start-up capital?
There are many wastes to be recycled that can multiply into wealth especially glasses, plastics, papers, nylons, cartons, tyres, aluminum, cans, irons etc. There are opportunities in recycling apart from creating employment. It’s also an investment opportunity to many.
However, our youths can start off with a little capital. The Chinese have brought many machines to Nigeria to recycle wastes. Take for instance, plastics and cartons. These items are being sold today with much revenue generation. Previously people threw away cartons and plastics but today they serve as a wealth booster for many and many have keyed into the opportunity therein.
On start-up capital, let me say that anyone can begin with the availability of the following: Space: the major problem in waste collection is the space to store up all items.
Capital: the business needs capital, starting with N150, 000 or more because the scavengers must be paid immediately on delivery.
Transportation: used van/truck must be available to transport the waste to be recycled at the recycling companies that will also pay to your bank account immediately they weigh the products. However, one can hire a truck/van as a start-up format for the business pending when one can purchase a personal truck/ van.
What are the challenges in the business?
The only challenge in the business is that you have to give your time to it fully, without which, your employees will be laughing to the bank at your detriment.
What is the income value of the business and how can youths be attracted into it to reduce the unemployment rate?
Nigerian youths, no matter the level of their education, have a mass wealth of opportunities to be employers. All they need is the capital to rent a warehouse or lease a landed property to accommodate the waste to be recycled.
On the income to be generated, the more waste you supply, the more financial gains you get. Therefore, your relationship with the scavengers and the rate at which you start will attract more business to your place.
If the company that you supply to pays like N100 per kilogramme, you can be paying the scavengers N70 per Kilogramme. That is why I said the more the volume of the weight of the waste, the higher your income value or take home hence there is need to imbibe the virtue of hard work in the business.
What is the future of waste and recycling business in Nigeria regarding financial and industrial growth?
The future of waste management in Nigeria is bright and better because, the Chinese and the Indians are now investing heavily on the business. The waste producing companies depend mainly on the nylon / plastic bottles and the Indians are the major producers of nylons in Nigeria currently. More investors are focusing on these because our leaders did not focus on the recycling business since the collapse of the early recyclers.
Why is the sector gaining huge focus now?
Formerly, one was looking at the business as being meant for illiterates or people that are drop outs in school without the in-depth knowledge, but today people are seeing a renewed angle to the business that would enable one to create a financial waste profile. Currently, there is more to the business than what we see at the surface. All you need is to let your money work for you while gaining more money and amassing wealth.
This is a good deed for the environment. It is worthy of note that the recycling industry is highly competitive but there exists such endless opportunities that are yet untapped.
Also, the modern technological advancement has made it easy and possible to would be person to source necessary information by googling the information about recyclers in Nigeria with the names and their locations without problem. The companies will explain more about their processes and procedures, the volume or weight or kilogramme of the product you must meet and it is usually negotiable.
What do you suggest that the government can do to support businesses like yours?
The Nigeria government should create avenue for the youths to start the business as collectors before they move to the next stage. It is not a business for the illiterates or a venture to be ashamed of. The local government has benefitted immensely with reduction of waste on our roads and highways. However, there is the need to invest in proper waste management processes and the technology that would ensure an effective management of waste, which will inevitably aid the recycling process
What is your advice to Nigerian youths on recycling business?
The Nigerian youths should not take waste recycling business as a dirty business. It is a business to go into and make good money.
