Search

Strengthening legal efforts in Nigeria is crucial for successful implementation of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) systems. By having the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency of Nigeria (NESREA) having the enforcing EPR laws create a more sustainable and accountable e-waste sector.

Developing and updating EPR legistlations helps clarify the different responsibilities and enforce producers to comply with their obligations and responsibility. However, effective EPR implementation will require further law enforcement measures.
The case study outlines two achievements of the "Circular Economy Approaches for The Electronics Sector In Nigeria" project towards establishing a stronger legal system in Nigeria:

• The development and gazette of the EPR Guidance document in 2020: the guidance defines the roles and responsibilities of the key public and private stakeholders, the product categories to be covered by the EPR scheme, and the collection and recycling targets.
• The amendment of the National Environmental (Electrical and Electronic Sector) Regulations in 2022: which legally requires EPR subscriptions and prohibits suboptimal treatment of e-waste.

The study concludes with a summary of key lessons and next steps, emphasizing the importance of enforcing EPR laws, engaging stakeholders, raising public awareness, and collaborating with regional and international partners.

The establishment of an EPR database is critical in operationalising and formalising the management of EPR-related data. The EPR database allows e-waste flow tracking and EPR fee and recovery rate calculation while ensuring producers' information confidentiality and helping prevent counterfeiting activities.

The case study outlines the project’s efforts towards establishing this automation system in Nigeria in the following areas:

• Developing the EPR database: to manage producers’ market share data, calculate and collect the EPR fees.
• Registering Producers and products in the database: To ensure electronic and electrical producers are registered and to oversee the EPR operation.
• Securing the database: Enhancing producers' trust in the database and ensuring its confidentiality.

The study concludes with a summary of next steps and key learnings, emphasizing the importance of law enforcement, database registration, secure systems for producers, and encouraging the participation of producers in the database registration.

UNEP's new Eco-innovation Electronics Supplement was created to respond to the electronics sector's need for more guidance in building resilient, competitive, and sustainable business models for SMEs. Designed together with the World Resources Forum and to be read alongside UNEP's Eco-innovation (Eco-i) Manual, the supplement provides electronics specific examples, learning case studies, and advice on applying the eco-innovation methodology and its opportunities in the electronic sector.

This publication was prepared under the framework of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) full-sized project 9771: Global best practices on emerging chemical policy issues of concern under the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM). This project is funded by the GEF, implemented by UNEP and executed by the SAICM Secretariat.