Africa’s largest black nation, Nigeria has in recent times grappled with a persistent problem of plastic pollution that leads to drainage blockage and environmental hazard.

The menace of this problem is not lost on private sector players that are willing to provide the infrastructure required to address it. One of such intentional moves by a private sector player is taking shape in Ogun State.

The recent launch of phase one of the Polysmart Packaging Limited is more than the commissioning of a facility. It is a clear demonstration of what becomes possible when industrial development is anchored on intentional planning, resilient infrastructure, and a genuinely enabling environment.

The expanded $60 million facility would strengthen plastic waste recycling in Nigeria and support the country’s transition to a green economy.

Speaking at the commissioning, Wasiu Balogun, Chief Executive Officer, Polysmart Packaging Ltd. said the company had grown from a modest beginning in 2013, when it started with an initial capital of N2 million, to establish a facility designed to significantly increase plastic waste recovery and recycling.

Balogun said the company plans to establish a network of collection agents across Nigeria’s 774 local councils to improve the collection and recovery of plastic waste, adding that the facility, when operating at full capacity, would process 100,000 tonnes of mixed plastics yearly, equivalent to approximately 6.5 billion PET bottles, or 15 million bottles daily.

According to him, the initiative would help prevent millions of plastic bottles from ending up in landfills, being burned, or entering the Atlantic Ocean, thereby reducing environmental pollution.

He further said that the company is committed to responsible plastic waste management, adding that the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency’s (NESREA) National Guidelines on Extended Producer Responsibility and the National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulation 2026 would enable the company to track plastic waste and support brand owners in demonstrating regulatory compliance.

Niyi Yusuf, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Polysmart Packaging Ltd, said the facility signaled confidence in Nigeria’s industrial sector.

Yusuf, said the facility, which represents Africa’s largest food-grade recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) plant, would position Nigeria as a recycling hub for West Africa.

He said with the successful operation of the facility, Nigeria could achieve higher recycling rates through stronger producer responsibility systems and sustained investment in infrastructure.

On his part, Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, the Ooni of Ife, called for the enforcement of a stronger regulatory framework for recycling policies to tackle plastic pollution, adding that there is the need for a coordinated national approach to waste management and environmental sanitation.

The monarch said the widespread, indiscriminate disposal of plastic bottles and other non-biodegradable materials on roads and in drainage systems poses a serious threat to environmental cleanliness and sustainable development.

Ogunwusi further said that plastic pollution was a major environmental challenge because discarded plastics were difficult to degrade, warning that indiscriminate disposal could continue to undermine sanitation efforts and damage the environment.

He lauded the management of Polysmart Packaging Ltd., for its contribution to environmental sustainability, recycling and industrial development.