Nestlé Nigeria has reaffirmed its commitment to environmental sustainability through a nationwide cleanup and community sensitisation campaign.

According to a statement on Monday, the initiative, which is in its sixth year, was executed in collaboration with the African Clean-Up Initiative and local authorities.

The company mobilised a total of 516 Nestlé Cares volunteers from the Nestlé head office, branch offices, and factories for the cleanup exercise across Nigeria.

The cleanup efforts spanned 11 cities, focusing on high-footfall market hubs such as Oke-Arin Market in Lagos, Utako Market in Abuja, Abubakar Rimi Market in Kano, Satellite Market in Jos, Sabo Market in Sagamu, Bodija Market in Ibadan, Okoko Market in Agbara, Abaji Market in Abaji, Holyghost Market in Enugu, Aguawka Market in Awka, and Mile 3 Market in Port Harcourt.

These locations were strategically selected based on their waste burden and community impact, resulting in the collective removal of 5,601 kilogrammes of solid and 379.2 kilogrammes of recyclable waste, highlighting the tangible results of corporate-community collaboration.

At the Lagos activation, the Lead of Corporate Communications, Public Affairs, and Sustainability at Nestlé Nigeria, Mrs Victoria Uwadoka, emphasised the alignment of this initiative with the World Environment Day theme, ‘Curbing Plastic Pollution’.

She said, “At Nestlé, our commitment to fighting plastic waste is integral to our vision of a waste-free future. This vision encompasses internal accountability and proactive stakeholder engagement. Through strategic partnerships with the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance and plastic waste recyclers such as Alef Recycling, Wecyclers, Chanja Datti, and Maladase Ecopreneurs Management Ltd, we are supporting the advancement of circularity within the plastics value chain.

“In addition, our Employee Plastics Collection Scheme, launched in 2022, empowers our employees to take responsibility for their environmental impact by recycling their plastic waste. Through the EPCS, we have achieved the diversion of 5,922 kg of plastic waste from landfills. Collectively, our initiatives have successfully retrieved over 61,000 metric tonnes of plastic from the environment since 2019.”

The founder of the African Clean-Up Initiative, Dr Alex Akhigbe, articulated the broader vision driving the partnership, saying, “This initiative transcends a mere clean-up; it represents a sustainability movement grounded in the principles of collective responsibility, collaboration, and the circular economy. The fight against plastic pollution requires deliberate action. Every bottle collected and every conversation initiated contribute to shaping a culture of environmental consciousness. Our goal is to inspire a generation that values and protects our planet.”

This annual clean-up campaign demonstrates Nestlé Nigeria’s integrated approach to sustainability, merging operational accountability with grassroots engagement.

Nestlé Nigeria is a top food and beverage company in Africa. It has operated for more than 63 years in Nigeria.