Nigeria discards an estimated 38 million tonnes of food each year, more than any other country on the African continent, according to the European Union (EU) data released during this year’s International Zero Waste Day commemoration in Abuja.
The staggering figure has prompted urgent calls from the EU, Federal Government, and United Nations Industrial Development Organisation for coordinated action to address post-harvest losses and unsustainable consumption patterns.
This was contained in a statement by the EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS. They noted that when food is wasted, the water, energy, and labour that went into producing it are also wasted, while accelerating climate change and undermining global efforts to build a zero-waste circular future.
Zissimos Vergos, Deputy Ambassador of the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, while delivering the statistics at an event themed “Food waste reduction – minimisation and valorisation” stated that Nigeria wastes roughly 38 million tonnes of food every year, making her the top food waster in Africa.
He disclosed that globally, nearly one billion tonnes of food was wasted in 2022 alone, representing almost one-fifth of all food available to consumers. “This is not just a loss of food, it is a squandering of precious resources, a missed opportunity to combat hunger, and a direct threat to our planet’s health.
“The environmental toll extends well beyond the immediate waste. Food loss and waste contribute up to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions—nearly five times the emissions of the entire aviation sector—and account for as much as 40 per cent of worldwide methane emissions.
“When food decomposes in landfills, the water, energy, and labour invested in its production are effectively squandered, accelerating climate change and undermining circular economy objectives,” Vergos stated.
The EU Deputy Ambassador outlined three strategic recommendations drawn from EU experience to help Nigeria tackle the crisis. First, he urged investment in rural roads, storage infrastructure, and cold chain facilities to resolve the “last mile” distribution gap between farms and markets.
Second, he advocated for stronger linkages between smallholder farmers and processors to convert fresh produce into value-added goods such as tomato paste and cassava flour. Third, he proposed embedding zero-waste principles, recycling, and resource conservation into primary school curricula to cultivate sustainable practices among future generations.
“The Nigeria Circular Economy Roadmap, the establishment of the Interministerial Circular Economy Committee, the push to develop a National Plastic Waste Management Regulation, these are not small gestures. These are structural shifts,” Vergos said. “These signal that Nigeria is not waiting for someone else to solve its problem; it is building the system to solve it from within.”
In his remarks, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal reaffirmed the government’s commitment to environmental protection and sustainable development during his keynote address.
He disclosed that the Federal Ministry of Environment has allocated resources in the current national appropriation for food waste elimination projects targeting major markets across the country.
“Food waste remains a significant challenge that affects not only our environment, but also our economy and society. Every discarded meal represents wasted resources such as water, energy, labour, and capital, while Nigerians continue to face food insecurity,” Lawal stated.
Ambassador Philbert Johnson, Director and Representative of UNIDO’s Sub-Regional Office in Nigeria, emphasised the multidimensional impact of food system failures. “Food is far more than a commodity: it is a foundation of wealth, a driver of health, and a pillar of security. It sustains our homes, supports industries, and underpins the stability of our societies.
“When food systems fail, when food is lost or wasted, the consequences ripple across our economies, our environment, and our communities,” Johnson said, reaffirming UNIDO’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s development of resilient and inclusive agro-industrial systems.
The EU delegation indicated readiness to support Nigeria’s anti-food waste initiatives through funding, technical cooperation, and “genuine solidarity,” though specific financial commitments were not disclosed at the event.
The partnership aligns with broader EU-Nigeria cooperation on circular economy transition, which has included technical assistance for developing Nigeria’s Circular Economy Roadmap and support for waste management policy frameworks.
