ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA) – In a significant move towards sustainable development, the Lagos State Government and the Kingdom of Netherlands have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) aimed at creating 4,000 jobs in waste management within the State.
The historic MoU was formalized during Africa’s inaugural Circular Economy summit, held in collaboration with the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN) and the Circular Economy Innovation Partnership (CEIP), with support from the Netherlands.
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, representing Lagos State, emphasized the pragmatic approach of the summit as a fundamental tool to tackle pressing global issues such as pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss.
Sanwo-Olu stated: “To ensure the enduring socio-economic progress of Lagos, we must adopt a model of production and consumption that involves sharing, leasing, reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing materials and products for as long as possible.”
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He further asserted: “This initiative will create an additional 4,000 job opportunities, propelling Lagos towards even greater status as a Mega City.”
Sanwo-Olu emphasized the need to assess the resilience of value chains, reduce waste and pollution, and encourage the circulation of products and materials at their highest value while regenerating nature.
The Governor highlighted the relevance of the event as Nigeria strives to optimize its limited resources and direct them effectively to address various socio-economic needs.
He concluded: “Our administration is steadfast in promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth through the encouragement of responsible consumption and production patterns.
“The Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 holds utmost importance, not only for Lagos and Nigeria but for the entire sub-Saharan Africa.”