Nigeria, Aug. 7 -- In markets, streets, rivers, and gutters across Nigeria, single-use plastics are everywhere, fluttering in the wind, clogging drainage systems, and forming toxic islands in water bodies. For decades, these disposable materials have been both a convenience and a curse. But now, a significant shift may be on the horizon.

According to the United Nations Environment Programme, Nigeria generates over 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually. More than 88 percent of this waste ends up in landfills, waterways, and open drains. Lagos alone produces about 10,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, much of it plastic.

In major cities like Lagos, Port Harcourt, and Abuja, the consequences of unchecked plastic use are hard to ignor...