Overview
Plastic waste regulation in Nigeria has moved from the margins of environmental policy to the centre of business planning. The National Environmental (Plastic Waste Control) Regulations 2026, issued by NESREA, govern the entire plastics value chain - from production and importation to distribution, sale, consumption, recovery, and recycling.
The 80-micron thickness restriction in Regulation 26 has raised concerns about job losses and investment flight in manufacturing. NESREA has clarified that the provision applies only to specified plastic bags made from plastic film, not to all plastic packaging or single-use plastics, and presents the Regulations as a framework for stronger producer responsibility, recycled content, traceability, and sustainable packaging.
For producers, importers, brand owners, and recyclers, the question is no longer whether plastic waste regulation matters, but how the new obligations will affect their products, permits, recovery systems, and compliance arrangements.
