Rite Foods, RecyclePoints Launch ‘Waste-Is-Naira’ Initiative to Turn Plastic Waste into Income

Rite Foods, RecyclePoints Launch ‘Waste-Is-Naira’ Initiative to Turn Plastic Waste into Income

From left: Dr. Eustace Onuegbu, President, Independent Network for Corporate Social Responsibility; Arese Onigise, Executive Secretary, Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA); Ekuma Eze, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Rite Foods Limited; Oguntola Omolara, Assistant Chief Scientific Officer, HOU/Recycling, LAWMA; and Adeoye Babajide, Director of Waste Management, Lagos State Ministry of Works and Water Resources, at the launch of the Waste-Is-Naira (W.I.N) initiative by Rite Foods Limited in partnership with RecyclePoints in Lagos.

Rite Foods Limited has partnered with RecyclePoints to launch the “Waste-Is-Naira” (W.I.N) initiative, a community-driven programme designed to transform plastic waste into economic opportunities while strengthening sustainable waste management in Nigeria.

The initiative, unveiled at the company’s corporate headquarters in Opebi, Lagos, forms part of Rite Foods’ sustainability strategy and aligns with the principles of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), which requires manufacturers to take responsibility for the lifecycle of their packaging materials.

The programme is supported by several regulatory and industry stakeholders, including the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA), alongside community leaders.

Through the initiative, residents will be able to exchange used plastic bottles and beverage cans for cash, effectively turning waste into a source of income. The programme is projected to recover more than 750 tonnes of plastic waste annually, helping to reduce environmental pollution while promoting circular use of packaging materials.

Speaking at the launch, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Rite Foods, Ekuma Eze, described the initiative as an important step in the company’s sustainability journey and its commitment to responsible manufacturing.

According to him, the programme goes beyond environmental clean-up efforts by creating a structured system for the recovery and reintegration of post-consumer packaging materials into the recycling value chain.

“This initiative reflects our responsibility as a producer to close the loop on our packaging materials. With ‘Waste-Is-Naira,’ we are establishing a system where post-consumer waste is recovered and translated into tangible socio-economic benefits for Nigerians,” he said.

Eze explained that the initiative builds on the company’s earlier coastal clean-up campaigns under the Riteonthebeach project, expanding its environmental interventions through a structured recycling framework that encourages behavioural change at the community level.

Programme Manager at RecyclePoints, Daniel Oderinde, said participants will receive designated “Waste-Is-Naira” sack bags to promote proper waste segregation at the source.

He explained that once the bags are filled, the waste materials will be taken to designated collection hubs where they will be weighed, digitally logged, and recorded, after which participants will receive payments through a transparent and traceable process.

Also speaking, Akin Disu, founder of PopBeachClub and a partner on the Riteonthebeach project, described the initiative as a transformative approach to waste management.

According to him, what is commonly regarded as waste can become a valuable resource when structured systems connect communities to recycling opportunities.

Regulatory stakeholders present at the event commended the initiative for promoting environmental sustainability and strengthening collaboration between the private sector and government agencies.

Director of Environmental Sustainability at LASEPA, Mrs. Adedayo Adebayo, emphasised the importance of compliance and structured frameworks in achieving long-term environmental impact.

Similarly, Assistant Chief Scientific Officer at LAWMA, Mrs. Oguntola Omolara, described the initiative as a timely intervention that supports Lagos State’s waste management objectives.

Director of Waste Management at the Lagos State Ministry of Works and Water Resources, Adeoye Babajide, said the programme aligns with the state government’s efforts to maintain a healthy environment and protect natural water resources.

Executive Secretary of FBRA, Arese Onigise, noted that initiatives such as “Waste-Is-Naira” demonstrate how producers can go beyond regulatory compliance to actively implement EPR in ways that are both practical and impactful.

She added that by creating systems that incentivise consumers and integrate informal waste collectors into the recycling value chain, the programme contributes significantly to the development of a circular economy for packaging in Nigeria.

Industry observers say the initiative is expected to create jobs across the recycling value chain, empower informal waste collectors, and strengthen Nigeria’s circular economy.

By embedding Extended Producer Responsibility into a scalable and community-focused model, Rite Foods aims to demonstrate how corporate leadership, in partnership with regulators and communities, can drive measurable environmental and socio-economic impact.