The Coca-Cola System in Nigeria, comprising Coca-Cola Nigeria Limited in collaboration with its authorised bottler, Nigerian Bottling Company (NBC), has commissioned a state-of-the-art packaging collection hub in Apapa, Lagos.
The company disclosed that the newly established hub is capable of processing up to 13,000 metric tonnes of plastic bottles annually, describing the initiative as part of its broader sustainability drive to reduce plastic waste and promote a circular economy.
Beyond supporting the company’s sustainability initiatives, the hub aims to provide a comprehensive solution for plastic waste management that seeks to facilitate PET collection, process materials into clean PET bales, and enable rPET production through third-party partnerships.
This initiative also seeks to foster cleaner communities and promote collective action to tackle packaging waste.
Nigeria is estimated to generate an average of 2.5 million tonnes (MT) of plastic waste annually, with Lagos State alone generating 870,000MT.
Meanwhile, only less than 12 per cent of Nigeria’s plastic waste is recycled, with the majority ending up in rivers, lakes, drains, lagoons, and the ocean.
Support to communities, job creation
At the commissioning of the packaging hub, the Chief Executive Officer of Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company (HBC), Zoran Bogdanovic, highlighted the hub’s economic and environmental benefits.
Bogdanovic described the initiative as a major step in the company’s efforts to reduce waste by collecting and recycling its packaging in Nigeria. Beyond that, he noted that it supports local communities, creates jobs, and reinforces the commitment to building a more sustainable future in a country that remains vital to its business.
The investment, he said, underscores the company’s global goal to help reduce packaging waste and emissions.
Also, the President of Coca-Cola’s Africa Operating Unit, Luisa Ortega, reiterated the company’s dedication to Nigeria, stating, “For nearly 75 years, the Coca-Cola System has been proud to be part of Nigerian communities. Through collaboration with local and global partners, we will continue to expand our design innovations, explore new collection models, invest in local infrastructure, and engage with communities to help create a better-shared future.”
The Minister of Industry, Trade, and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, and the Minister of State for Industry, Senator John Enoh, both lauded the project as a significant step toward advancing sustainability, economic growth, and environmental responsibility.
Senator Enoh described the initiative as one that redefines Nigeria’s industrial landscape by merging manufacturing with sustainability. “The establishment of this hub demonstrates what happens when industries rise beyond profit and embrace environmental responsibility,” he said.
Earlier, the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the facility as a symbol of progress and a tangible demonstration of corporate social responsibility in Lagos.
Sanwo-Olu, who was represented by his Special Adviser on Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, reaffirmed that the hub will serve as a centre for collecting, sorting, and recycling PET plastics, which will significantly reduce plastic pollution in the environment.
Future Plan
As part of its sustainability targets, Coca-Cola System aims to use 35-40 per cent recycled material in primary packaging, including plastic, glass, and aluminium, as well as increase the use of recycled plastic to 30-35 per cent globally.
The company also plans to ensure the collection of 70-75 per cent of the equivalent number of bottles and cans it introduces to the market by 2035.
It further reaffirmed its commitment to the country’s economy, highlighting its contribution of over $1.5bn to Nigeria’s economy over the past decade with its recently announced plans to invest an additional $1bn over the next five years.
