Marine litter has become a pressing global issue, endangering the progress of the blue economy. With millions of tonnes of plastic waste polluting inland waterways and oceans, causing significant financial losses worldwide, private sector operators are intensifying collective efforts to combat this menace that affects maritime trade, fisheries, health, and tourism, as reported by Adaku Onyenucheya.
The Growing Threat of Marine Litter
From plastic bags, plates, and bottles to cans, styrofoam, abandoned fishing nets, shipwrecks, household waste, and industrial refuse discarded indiscriminately, marine litter poses one of the most severe environmental challenges facing global waterways. On World Ocean Day, the international maritime community focused on this escalating threat and its impact on the blue economy and humanity. While the marine and blue economy sector offers substantial economic growth potential, contributing significantly to national revenue through fishing, shipping, tourism, and trade, the increasing accumulation of marine litter in oceans, rivers, lagoons, and creeks threatens to undermine these benefits. World Ocean Day aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 14, which advocates for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans, seas, and marine resources as essential for sustainable development.
Nigeria boasts approximately 853 kilometres of coastline, serving as a vital transportation route for coastal communities and supporting millions of livelihoods. According to the World Bank, Nigeria is among the world's largest generators of plastic waste, producing an estimated over 2.5 million tonnes annually, with only a small fraction recycled. A significant portion ends up in open dumpsites, drainage channels, and waterways due to inadequate waste management systems. The United Nations warns that 14 million tonnes of plastic enter the oceans each year, a figure projected to triple to 27 million tonnes by 2040 if unaddressed, costing the global economy $13 billion yearly and threatening 817 marine species. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that plastic constitutes at least 85 per cent of all marine waste.
Drivers of Marine Litter in Nigeria
Several factors drive the proliferation of marine litter in Nigeria, including rapid urbanisation, population growth, weak waste collection systems, insufficient recycling facilities, lack of waste disposal infrastructure leading to indiscriminate dumping, poor environmental awareness, and weak waste management regulations. In Lagos State communities, traders and residents dump refuse on road medians, creating heaps of waste that often remain uncollected. Wind and other agents carry this debris into drainage channels. Along beaches and in riverine communities, floating debris has become increasingly common, discouraging tourists and investment. The situation worsens during the rainy season when residents dump waste into clogged drainage channels, and floodwaters carry large volumes of debris into creeks, lagoons, and ultimately the ocean, fueling a growing marine environmental disaster. Commuters often purchase products packaged in plastic while in traffic and dispose of empty containers on the road.
The Lagos Area Manager of the National Inland Waterways Authority, Sarat Braimah, raised alarm over marine litter, noting that improper waste disposal on inland waters is a serious issue requiring urgent attention. She explained that when plastics, cans, and nylon bags are thrown directly into water bodies instead of trash receptacles, the consequences are immediate. Floating debris chokes marine life, degrades water quality, and introduces toxins into the aquatic food chain.
Hidden Costs of Marine Litter
The consumption of single-use plastics has compounded the challenge, as plastic packaging, sachet water bags, disposable food containers, and shopping bags constitute a substantial portion of debris in waterways. According to the UN, marine litter causes billions of dollars in economic losses globally each year through impacts on fisheries, shipping, tourism, and coastal infrastructure. The World Economic Forum states that plastic pollution damage to marine ecosystems, tourism, and fishing costs the world up to $2.5 trillion yearly. Clem Ugorji, Regional Coordinator for Africa at Prevention of Marine Litter in the Gulf of Guinea, noted that Nigeria loses $1 billion yearly to poor waste management and marine litter. The maritime sector, which contributes substantially to national revenue, faces operational challenges as floating debris and solid waste obstruct navigation channels, damage vessel propellers, and increase maintenance costs for port authorities and shipping operators. Debris also poses a direct threat to small watercraft, including high-speed passenger ferries, speedboats, canoes, and water taxis operating on inland waterways and coastal routes, with several having capsized. Inland waterways transport operators frequently struggle with marine litter getting entangled in boat engines, particularly around propellers, leading to engine breakdowns mid-journey and exposing passengers to collision risks with larger vessels.
Braimah explained that floating litter is easily sucked into water intakes, where it can wrap around propeller shafts or clog engine cooling systems, causing sudden engine failure and leaving small boats vulnerable to capsizing or collisions in fast-moving currents. Marine biodiversity is also increasingly threatened, as marine animals often mistake plastic for food. Once ingested, these materials block digestive systems, cause starvation, internal injuries, and eventually death. Fishermen report increasing instances of damaged fishing equipment, reduced catches, and contamination of fishing grounds by plastic waste. Coastal communities relying on fishing face rising health risks from polluted waters. Scientists express growing concerns about microplastics—tiny particles formed as larger plastics break down—which enter marine food chains and eventually reach human consumers through seafood. UNEP warns that plastic pollution now threatens food security and human health on a global scale.
Efforts to Turn the Tide
Recognising the growing threat, government agencies, environmental groups, and private-sector organisations have initiated several efforts to combat marine pollution, including community and beach clean-up exercises and public awareness campaigns in Lagos, Rivers, Delta, Bayelsa, and other coastal states. The Federal Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy has repeatedly emphasised the importance of protecting the country's marine environment as part of developing a sustainable blue economy. Some state governments have implemented policy moves aimed at reducing plastic pollution, including initiatives targeting the eradication of styrofoam and single-use plastics and promoting sustainable waste management.
One private sector operator intensifying efforts to combat plastic pollution is NLNG Shipping and Marine Services Limited. Through the Clean Waterways Initiative, a Corporate Social Responsibility programme designed to combat the severe plastic and marine pollution crisis in Nigeria's aquatic ecosystem, NSML primarily targets waterways along the Niger Delta's coastal communities. The firm employs a Triple A strategy: Awareness, Advocacy, and Action. This involves educating communities on the dangers of plastic pollution to health and local jobs, partnering with key stakeholders and local governments to improve waste disposal and recycling practices, and organising regular clean-up exercises to physically remove debris and plastics from water bodies between the NLNG Jetty in Port Harcourt and the operating terminal on Bonny Island in Rivers State. NSML has expanded these community and partner-based clean-up exercises to occur quarterly, with regular clean-ups at Bonny Island waterfronts.
Speaking on the company's ongoing environmental sustainability initiative, Chief Executive Officer of NSML, Abdulkadir Ahmed, said the campaign was designed to address the increasing amount of plastic waste and other debris finding their way into rivers, creeks, and coastal waters. Ahmed noted that meaningful progress can only be achieved through collaboration and the establishment of effective regulatory frameworks that discourage environmental abuse. He stated, Advocacy is about engaging government agencies and regulatory bodies so that we can have the necessary backing to take action. We are beginning to see some positive impact from these efforts, and we are not alone in this fight because plastic pollution is a global issue. Ahmed also highlighted the need for practical individual actions, urging Nigerians to adopt responsible waste disposal habits and reduce their dependence on single-use plastics. He emphasised that solving the marine litter problem does not require extraordinary measures but rather consistent actions by individuals and communities. Ahmed disclosed that the company conducts large-scale cleanup campaigns every quarter and is working towards extending the initiative across the Bonny-Port Harcourt waterways corridor. He acknowledged that while cleanup exercises alone may not eliminate the problem, they represent an important step toward restoring the health of Nigeria's aquatic environment.
Path to Better Management
Stakeholders in the maritime industry insist that addressing marine litter requires a comprehensive national strategy involving government, industry communities, and individuals. Nigeria still lacks a fully integrated national marine litter strategy that combines waste management, recycling, enforcement, public education, and industry accountability. The Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organisation, Arsenio Dominguez, called for renewed global commitment to protect the oceans, announcing stronger measures to tackle marine pollution, biodiversity loss, and climate-related challenges in the maritime sector. In his message marking World Oceans Day, Dominguez said the IMO is intensifying efforts to address marine plastic litter through the adoption of the 2026 Strategy and an Action Plan aimed at eliminating waste from shipping activities. He reaffirmed the organisation's goal of achieving zero plastic waste discharges to sea from ships by 2030, describing it as a critical step toward safeguarding ocean health and ensuring sustainable maritime operations. Dominguez stated that progress is already being made in key areas, including pollution control, biodiversity protection, and climate action within the global shipping industry. However, he stressed that a more coordinated international effort is required to meet emerging environmental threats. Dominguez highlighted the need to strengthen regulatory frameworks to reduce plastic pollution and address other growing concerns, such as underwater radiated noise and the spread of transboundary marine species, which continue to impact ocean ecosystems. He urged global stakeholders to rethink humanity's relationship with the ocean, calling for a more responsible approach to resource use and environmental stewardship.
