Feature/OPED
Access Bank’s Contributions in Africa’s Transition to a Low Carbon Economy
Africa is facing a growing challenge of managing its waste and natural resources in a sustainable way. The current traditional linear economic model, characterized by a “take, make, dispose” pattern that is extracting, consuming, and disposing of materials, is inefficient, wasteful, and harmful to the environment and human health.
According to the World Bank, Africa generated 174 million tonnes of waste in 2016, and this is expected to increase to 516 million tonnes by 2050. Only 4% of this waste is recycled, compared to 44% in Europe and 35% in China.
A circular economy, which aims to keep materials in use for as long as possible and minimize waste and pollution, could offer a viable alternative that would enhance Africa’s social, economic, and environmental well-being.
The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that a circular economy could generate $1.8 trillion of value for Africa by 2030, creating 4.5 million new jobs and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 25%.
However, despite the potential benefits of a circular economy, many challenges and barriers hinder its implementation in Africa. One of the major problems is the lack of adequate infrastructure and regulation for waste management and recycling.
Most African countries lack formal systems for collecting, sorting, and processing waste, resulting in large amounts of waste being dumped or burned, posing serious health and environmental risks.
According to the Global Waste Management Outlook, only 19% of Africa’s urban population has access to controlled waste disposal services, and only 4% of the waste is treated to reduce its environmental impact.
Moreover, there is a lack of clear policies and incentives to support circular practices, such as extended producer responsibility, eco-labeling, and green procurement. Without a supportive regulatory framework, companies and consumers have little motivation to adopt circular behaviours and preferences.
For instance, only 12 African countries have implemented bans or levies on single-use plastic bags, which are a major source of plastic pollution.
Another problem is the limited awareness and knowledge of the circular economy concept and its benefits among stakeholders. Many businesses, consumers, and policymakers are unaware of the opportunities and advantages of shifting to a circular model, such as cost savings, resource efficiency, innovation, and competitiveness.
A survey by the African Circular Economy Network found that only 58% of African businesses are familiar with the circular economy, and only 24% have implemented circular practices in their operations. Similarly, a study by the African Development Bank revealed that only 35% of African consumers are willing to pay more for products that are environmentally friendly or have a longer lifespan.
Additionally, there is a lack of capacity and skills to implement circular solutions, such as eco-design, repair, remanufacturing, and recycling. These require technical expertise, financial resources, and access to markets that are often lacking in the African context.
Therefore, there is a need for more education, training, and awareness-raising initiatives to foster a culture of circularity and sustainability in Africa.
Nigeria is one of the most populous and fastest-growing countries in Africa, with a population of over 200 million and a GDP growth rate of 2.3% in 2019. However, it is also one of the most wasteful and polluting countries, generating about 32 million tonnes of solid waste annually, of which only 20% is collected and 10% is recycled. The rest is either dumped in open landfills, burned, or littered in the streets, waterways, and oceans. This poses serious threats to the environment, public health, and the economy, as waste management costs account for 20-30% of municipal budgets.
Moreover, Nigeria is highly dependent on the import of raw materials and finished products, which exposes it to price volatility, foreign exchange fluctuations, and trade restrictions. A circular economy could offer a solution to these challenges, by reducing waste generation, increasing resource efficiency, and creating value from waste.
In Lagos, the government has taken to support the circular economy through the launch of the Blue Box program, an initiative to improve waste collection and sorting at the household level, by providing blue boxes to residents for separating recyclable materials, such as paper, plastic, metal, and glass, from other waste.
The program also involves the establishment of sorting hubs, where the recyclable materials are further sorted and processed, and the engagement of waste aggregators and recyclers, who buy and transport the recyclables to recycling plants. The program aims to increase the recycling rate in Lagos from 10% to 50%, create 500,000 direct and indirect jobs, and reduce the environmental and health impacts of waste mismanagement.
Besides Lagos, other states in Nigeria have also implemented or planned to implement similar programs to promote the circular economy. For example, Ogun state has partnered with a private company to set up a waste-to-wealth project, which converts organic waste into biogas and organic fertilizer.
Kaduna state has launched a waste management and recycling scheme, which provides waste collection bins and vehicles, and trains youth and women on waste sorting and recycling.
Delta State has initiated a plastic waste management project, which aims to collect and recycle plastic waste into useful products, such as furniture, tiles, and roofing sheets.
These programs not only help to reduce waste generation and disposal but also create income and employment opportunities for the local communities.
The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) has issued guidelines and standards for the management of various types of waste, such as electronic waste, hazardous waste, and medical waste. The agency has also enforced the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) policy, which requires producers and importers of certain products, such as batteries, tyres, and plastic bottles, to take responsibility for the collection and recycling of their end-of-life products.
Furthermore, the government has introduced incentives and subsidies for waste management and recycling activities, such as tax waivers, low-interest loans, and grants. These measures aim to create a conducive environment for the growth and development of the circular economy in Nigeria.
In addition, the government has supported the circular economy in Nigeria by raising awareness and education among the public and the private sector.
The government has organized campaigns and events, such as World Environment Day, Clean Nigeria Day, and National Recycling Day, to sensitize the people to the benefits and practices of the circular economy.
The government has also collaborated with various stakeholders, such as civil society organizations, academic institutions, and industry associations, to provide training and capacity building on waste management and recycling.
Moreover, the government has encouraged innovation and research on the circular economy, by supporting the development and adoption of new technologies and solutions, such as biodegradable packaging, waste-to-energy systems, and circular design. These efforts aim to foster a culture of environmental responsibility and sustainability in Nigerian society.
Access Bank is one of the leading financial institutions in Africa, with a vision to become the world’s most respected African bank. As part of its sustainability strategy, Access Bank is committed to supporting the transition to a circular economy, by providing financing, advisory, and capacity-building services to circular businesses and initiatives. Some of the actions that Access Bank is taking to support the circular economy include:
Access Bank contributes to the development of a circular economy policy and framework for Nigeria, as a member of the Nigerian Circular Economy Working Group (NCEWG), which will guide the nation’s operations and investments in the circular economy.
The policy and framework developed will outline the objectives, principles, criteria, and indicators for supporting circular businesses and initiatives, as well as the internal circular practices, such as paperless banking, green procurement, and waste management, that Nigeria will adopt. The policy and framework will also align with the national and international standards and regulations on the circular economy, such as the IFC’s Performance Standards and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Access Bank through the ACT Foundation supported the Lagos Business School (LBS) in the development of the Leadership Programme for Sustainable Waste Management (LPSWM) in 2019, an initiative to drive Nigeria‘s transition to the circular economy and create sustainable communities by bringing participants who work in the waste management sector or run their own waste focused initiatives and social enterprises.
The programme is a leadership and enterprise capacity-building platform for youth empowerment in mitigating the environmental and health implications of improper waste management; and improving the operational and financial viability of waste management businesses.
Over the years of its existence, the programme has delivered the needed information and tools to structure and effectively run a viable enterprise, execute initiatives, projects and formulate better policies,
Access Holdings in partnership with HACEY launched the Zero Carbon Africa Impact Program, a project that aims to guide and empower Africa’s youth to harness climate action as both a catalyst for sustainable business and an instrument for environmental preservation.
The program has multifaceted objectives to nurture climate action leaders and foster climate-resilient communities. The program is empowering more than 700 emerging leaders with comprehensive knowledge of climate action while strengthening the capacities of youth networks across 6 sub-Saharan countries (Nigeria, South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Rwanda and Zambia) to monitor net-zero plans’ implementation, and steadfastly contribute to national and regional net-zero targets.
Through a 12-week immersive journey, the program continues to impart knowledge, transfer skills, and ignite a lasting commitment to a sustainable and green Africa. The program’s cornerstone, the Capacity Building Masterclass, delves into the nuances of climate change and its interplay with sectors such as human rights, urban planning, global public health, sustainable investing, and more.
This knowledge repository serves as a bedrock for informed decision-making, driving the implementation of impactful climate interventions across communities. At the time of this report, the program in its fifth week has completed four high-yield courses relating to Climate Science, Global Energy, Sustainable investing and Climate change mitigation.
The Zero Carbon Africa Impact Program envisions a future led by empowered quality young leaders, and thriving green and blue economies. With a projected outcome of over 700 exceptional young leaders, 35,000 community advocates, and 28 impactful climate action projects, the program cements its role as a catalyst for transformation, heralding a new era of sustainable prosperity for Africa.
By Blaise Udunze
Daily, the world watches Nigeria through a familiar lens in what appears to be a gory situation. Especially in cases when the news headlines tell stories of farmer-herder clashes, bandit attacks, kidnappings, villages reduced to ashes or deserted by the dwellers, as thousands of Nigerians have been displaced across states such as Zamfara, Plateau, Benue, Niger, Kaduna and Nasarawa. Subliminally, this is about to become a similarly ugly occurrence in southwestern Nigeria, which is fast becoming obvious if not nipped in the bud quickly.
Recorded data have shown that bandits, Boko Haram, and others killed over 190,000 Nigerians in 17 years and displaced 3.7 million people.
A human rights organisation, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), in its fearful revelation, has said that no fewer than 190,150 Nigerians have been killed by bandits, Boko Haram insurgents, and suspected armed herdsmen between July 2009 and March 19, 2026, as this calls for concern.
The dominant explanations often point to ethnic tensions, religious divisions, climate change, shrinking grazing routes or weak security institutions. No doubt, those factors are certainly part of Nigeria’s complex security crisis. Yet another question deserves serious examination.
What if, in some locations, the violence is also serving another purpose? What if some of the territories experiencing repeated displacement are the same places sitting atop some of Nigeria’s most valuable mineral deposits? More importantly, if such a pattern exists, who benefits when communities disappear?
Of a truth, these questions are uncomfortable, but undeniably they deserve careful investigation rather than dismissal.
For ages, Nigeria has been naturally endowed, and it is estimated to be rich in enormous significant reserves of gold, lithium, uranium, tin, columbite and other strategic minerals increasingly sought after in the global transition to clean energy technologies. As international demand for battery minerals continues to rise, these resources have become far more valuable than they were only a decade ago.
If one overlays publicly available geological information with maps showing persistent violence, some observers argue that striking geographical overlaps appear in several regions. Such overlaps alone cannot establish causation. Correlation is not proof of conspiracy. However, they raise questions worthy of independent scrutiny.
One issue attracting increasing attention and adequately yearns for answer is whether prolonged insecurity may inadvertently or deliberately create conditions that make mineral extraction easier.
Under Nigeria’s Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007, mineral resources belong to the Federal Government, while mining rights are granted through licences and leases. Community engagement and land access are expected to form part of the licensing process, although implementation varies depending on circumstances. This raises an important policy question.
What happens when the communities expected to participate in those processes have already fled because of violence?
Displacement changes the dynamics of land ownership, consent and access. While no evidence automatically proves that attacks are orchestrated to facilitate mining, the sequence of violence followed by renewed commercial activity in some locations deserves closer examination by regulators, lawmakers and investigative journalists.
In conflict studies, researchers have long observed that wars often generate economic winners alongside humanitarian losers. Could elements of Nigeria’s insecurity also be producing economic beneficiaries?
Reports over the years have documented concerns about illegal mining operations across parts of northern Nigeria. Government agencies themselves have repeatedly acknowledged that criminal networks profit from the country’s vast mineral wealth. The unresolved question is whether isolated criminality has, in some instances, evolved into more sophisticated alliances involving political influence, financial interests and international supply chains. If so, the implications extend far beyond Nigeria.
Invariably, it is clearly known that lithium has become one of the world’s most strategic commodities, powering electric vehicle batteries and renewable energy storage systems. Gold has always remained one of the safest global investment assets during periods of uncertainty. Meanwhile, it is well confirmed that the global appetite for these minerals creates enormous financial incentives.
Suppose violent displacement reduces resistance to extraction. Suppose shell companies subsequently acquire mining interests. Suppose minerals then leave Nigeria through legitimate-looking export documentation while their true value remains understated.
These scenarios remain allegations unless supported by verifiable evidence. Yet they outline a framework that investigators may wish to test rather than ignore. Financial crime experts frequently identify trade mis-invoicing as one of the most common methods of illicit financial flows worldwide.
Could Nigeria’s solid minerals sector be vulnerable to similar practices? If valuable lithium ore is deliberately but inaccurately described as lower-value material on export documents, substantial wealth could potentially leave the country without reflecting its true market value. Likewise, if unrefined gold exits through privileged channels with limited scrutiny, questions naturally arise about oversight, transparency and accountability over criminal activities which have continued to stunt and disrupt the country’s socio-economic growth and at the same time cause carnage.
Such possibilities are not accusations against any particular institution or company. Rather, they illustrate why stronger monitoring systems are increasingly essential. Another question concerns logistics.
With the high level of criminal activities, industrial mining requires heavy machinery, diesel supplies, transportation networks and specialised personnel. These are not operations that can remain invisible indefinitely.
If certain territories are genuinely too dangerous for security agencies, how do industrial-scale extraction activities reportedly continue in some remote locations? If they do, who protects those operations? Who authorises their movement? Who verifies what is extracted? Who ensures royalties and export revenues reach public coffers? These are governance questions that demand institutional answers.
Equally important is the international dimension. Minerals extracted in Nigeria ultimately enter global supply chains. Gold may pass through international refining hubs before entering financial markets. Lithium may become part of battery manufacturing destined for electric vehicles, which are being sold across Europe, North America and Asia.
One known fact is that consumers purchasing products containing these minerals rarely know the full story of where they originated.
Increasingly, however, investors and governments are demanding ethical sourcing standards that trace minerals from extraction to final manufacture.
A critical factor that must be taken into cognisance is that if insecurity is creating opportunities for illegal or unethical extraction anywhere in the world, multinational companies have responsibilities alongside national governments, of which the onus falls on the Nigerian government.
Transparency cannot stop at the mine gate. Nor should accountability end at national borders. Another issue requiring attention concerns beneficial ownership.
Across many jurisdictions, shell companies can obscure the identities of individuals ultimately controlling commercial assets. If politically exposed persons or powerful business interests are hidden behind complex corporate structures registered offshore, identifying beneficiaries becomes significantly more difficult. This challenge is hardly unique to Nigeria.
Findings showed that from Latin America to Central Africa and Southeast Asia, resistant corporate networks have frequently complicated efforts to combat corruption and illicit resource extraction. That is precisely why open corporate registries, beneficial ownership databases and transparent mining licence disclosures are becoming global governance priorities. For Nigeria, the stakes could hardly be higher.
The country stands at the centre of the world’s emerging critical minerals economy. The Nigerian government can’t feign ignorance of the fact that, when handled transparently, these resources could finance infrastructure, education, healthcare, and industrial development for generations.
In no way would the government claim not knowing that when handled poorly, they risk becoming another chapter in the well-documented “resource curse,” where extraordinary natural wealth coincides with persistent poverty, insecurity and institutional weakness.
The ultimate challenge, therefore, is not simply about mining. It is about governance. It is about whether public institutions possess both the independence and capacity to ensure that natural resources benefit citizens rather than narrow interests. It is about whether conflict zones receive genuine peacebuilding efforts instead of becoming forgotten frontiers. And it is about whether international markets demand accountability with the same enthusiasm they demand raw materials.
None of these questions should be answered through speculation. They require rigorous investigations, forensic financial analysis, satellite imagery, mining license audits, customs records, beneficial ownership disclosures and courageous journalism.
They require governments willing to open their books. They require international cooperation capable of tracing money across borders. Most importantly, they require asking questions that have too often remained unasked.
Perhaps Nigeria’s security crisis is exactly what it appears to be: a tragic convergence of historical grievances, weak institutions, criminality and environmental pressures. Or perhaps, in some places, another layer of economic incentive deserves closer scrutiny.
Until those questions are thoroughly investigated, one possibility will continue to linger. Maybe the world’s attention has been fixed on the blood spilt above ground, while too little attention has been paid to the extraordinary wealth lying beneath it.
Blaise, a journalist and PR professional, writes from Lagos and can be reached via: bl***********@***il.com
Feature/OPED
What Does Nigeria’s $51bn Reserves Milestone Mean if Most New Foreign Money Can Leave Quickly?
Nigeria’s foreign reserves have climbed to about $51 billion, a decade-plus high, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). EBC Financial Group (EBC) notes that this reflects stronger investor confidence, but the second half may show whether it holds, as the build rests on three cyclical drivers: oil earnings, short-term foreign money and a narrowing official-to-street naira gap.
Reserves rose from about $32 billion in April 2024, during a dollar shortage, to about $51 billion now, near the CBN’s target. Much came from two cyclical sources, strong oil earnings and money chasing high-yielding naira assets, so EBC expects the pace to slow or reverse. Fitch Ratings, a major international credit rating agency, expects a marginal decline to about $47 billion by the end of 2026, citing higher spending and external pressures.
David Precious, Senior Market Analyst at EBC Financial Group, said, “Nigeria’s reserve build is real but may not be durable yet, because nearly all of the new money is the kind that can leave quickly. Of the $10.37 billion that came in over the first quarter, the overwhelming majority was short-term portfolio funds rather than long-term investment, so a shift in oil prices, global interest rates or confidence in the naira might pull a large part of it straight back out.”
Most New Money Can Still Leave Quickly
The composition of the foreign inflows explains the caution over how long the build can last. The country attracted $10.37 billion in foreign investment in the first quarter of 2026, up 83.83 per cent year-on-year, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Of that, $9.86 billion or 95.09 per cent, was portfolio money, largely short-term naira debt such as Treasury bills that investors can sell at the next auction, while foreign direct investment, the long-term kind that builds factories and jobs, was $135.08 million, or 1.30 per cent. Put simply, of each dollar coming in, about 95 cents can leave quickly, and barely one cent stays.
That money supports reserves while it stays. Dollars brought in to buy naira assets add to market supply, letting the CBN hold more reserves and steady the naira. It leaves when conditions change. Nigeria earns most of its export dollars from oil and gas, so lower oil prices mean fewer dollars, and as a member of the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), it cannot simply produce more, output capped by quota and reduced by theft and ageing fields. Higher global interest rates draw money toward safer returns abroad, and a weakening naira prompts investors to sell early. When oil fell in 2016 and 2020, foreign investors withdrew and could not convert naira to dollars as supply dried up, leaving the CBN to clear more than $7 billion in trapped obligations into 2024.
The Oil Boost is No Longer Certain
Oil looked like a dependable source of the dollars behind the reserves only months ago. Earlier in 2026, concern over disruption around the Strait of Hormuz lifted crude prices, and stronger receipts flowed in, with crude oil export earnings of $8.11 billion in the first quarter in the CBN’s balance-of-payments data. That support is now easing. The tension has subsided, and Brent traded near $72 on June 29, down about 24 per cent over the month, back to pre-conflict levels. With the price boost gone and output constrained, reserves are more exposed, leaning on non-oil earnings and investor patience rather than oil.
The Naira Still Trades at Two Prices
The naira has traded at two prices, an official rate and a higher parallel-market rate, and closing that gap into one trusted price is what many investors might watch most. Before committing funds, they may want assurance they can convert naira to dollars at a fair rate when they exit, and a wide gap revives the fear of being trapped that lingers from earlier shortages. The gap has narrowed to roughly N20 to N30, with the CBN’s official rate near N1,380 per dollar on June 26 against parallel-market quotes around N1,400. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) 2026 Article IV review urged Nigeria to depend less on this fast-moving portfolio money and to keep phasing out its multiple exchange-rate practices. The CBN’s Foreign Exchange Manual, in force from 1 June, is intended to make the market clearer, though such rules build confidence only once investors can freely trade dollars at the posted rate.
What could Make the Build Durable
A few signs that may show the build turning durable include a smaller gap between the official and street naira rates, more long-term foreign investment, and steadier oil earnings. A gap that stays small, now roughly N20 to N30, may mean investors trust the official rate and no longer need the street market. A clear rise in foreign direct investment, only $135 million last quarter against $9.86 billion of short-term money, might mean lasting capital is replacing funds that can leave at the next auction. Oil earnings that hold up, rather than sliding from the low $70s, should help keep reserves steady, since oil and gas bring in most of Nigeria’s export dollars.
“Reserves built on money chasing high yields can fall as fast as they rose, as they did after the last two oil shocks, when investors left, and the CBN spent years clearing a foreign-exchange backlog,” Precious added. “What holds through a downturn is slower money, direct investment, steady oil and non-oil export earnings and one credible naira rate, and that is the shift Nigeria has yet to make.”
By Olajumoke Bello
Across Nigeria, small and medium enterprises remain the backbone of economic activity. They drive trade, create jobs, and sustain millions of livelihoods. Yet, despite their importance, many SMEs continue to operate below their full potential due to persistent structural challenges.
Access to finance remains one of the most cited constraints. However, the issue today goes beyond the availability of capital. Many businesses struggle with financial readiness, weak documentation, and limited understanding of what lenders require. This often leads to missed opportunities, even when funding options exist.
At the same time, SMEs face gaps in market access and visibility. Business owners operate in highly localised environments, with limited exposure to broader networks that can unlock partnerships, new markets, and growth opportunities. This isolation can constrain scalability and reduce long-term competitiveness.
Equally important is the capability gap. Many entrepreneurs grow through resilience and experience but lack structured knowledge on critical areas such as financial management, export readiness, and digital adoption. Without this, even well-capitalised businesses can struggle to sustain growth.
These challenges point to a clear need for a more practical and integrated approach to SME support. It is no longer sufficient to offer standalone solutions. SMEs require ecosystems that combine knowledge, access, and direct engagement in ways that reflect how they actually operate.
A key shift is the move from centralised interventions to localised engagement. SMEs are deeply influenced by their immediate environments, whether markets, industrial clusters, or trade corridors. Solutions must therefore be brought closer to where these businesses function, allowing for more relevant support and stronger relationships.
Another important shift is from awareness to action. Business owners do not only need information; they need insights that they can apply immediately. This includes understanding how to structure their finances, how to access trade opportunities, and how to connect with the right partners to scale their operations.
There is also a growing need for continuity. Many SME-focused initiatives deliver strong initial impact but lack follow-through. For support to be effective, it must extend beyond one-off engagements into sustained relationships, with clear pathways for onboarding, advisory, and growth.
For financial institutions, this presents both responsibility and an opportunity. Supporting SMEs now requires moving beyond transactional banking to deeper partnership models. It requires understanding businesses at a granular level and co-creating solutions that evolve with their needs.
At Stanbic IBTC, this perspective continues to shape our approach to SME development. Our focus is on delivering practical support that translates into real business outcomes, helping enterprises grow, compete, and contribute more meaningfully to the economy.
As part of this commitment, we are extending our SME engagement to the regions through the Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour. The tour will take structured, on-ground activations into key commercial hubs, where SMEs can access funding guidance, trade insights, advisory support, and direct engagement with financial experts.
The regional tour will take place across five strategic locations, bringing these solutions closer to business owners in Aba, Onitsha, Ibadan and Kano.
This approach reflects an important principle. When support moves closer to businesses and when solutions are delivered in ways that are practical and continuous, SMEs are better positioned to grow sustainably. In turn, this strengthens not only individual enterprises but the broader economy.
Olajumoke Bello is the Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank
