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Stakeholders meeting on circular economy and eWaste 30th October 2023

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with
support from the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) on
the 30th of October, 2023 by 10:00 am conducted a stakeholder meeting in
Kano, Nigeria at the Tahir Guest Palace, whereby stakeholders from both
public and private sectors where invited to the forum to discuss on different
issues revolving around circular economy and eWaste and to deliberate on
how to go about it moving forward. 
The programme officer of the project Ibrahim Nuhu welcomes everyone to
the workshop which served as a platform where various stakeholders could
brainstorm, have suggestions of different ideas, and strategies on what can
be employed and whereby at the end of the meeting hoping to come up

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with a provision of how we can deal with electronic waste and circular
economy. At the meeting, we had different institutions that were dealing
with electronic waste directly or indirectly.
The key objectives of this stakeholders meeting includes but not
limited to;
 How to remove waste from our communities
 How do we turn e-waste into wealth in society
 What can we do collectively to promote the recycling of e-waste in
Kano
 What do we do to promote circular economy in society 
 Lastly how do we manage the issues of waste in the society so the
health hazards will be removed and minimized in society

The Chairman of the event Mal.Umar Saleh Anka from the Ministry of
Environment gave his opening remarks for the meeting stating that the
circular economy is in high demand of raw materials and if we continue
with the traditional way of throwing away our stuff the earth can no longer
take it. Therefore, we have to think of a way to go circular and be
productive. The essence of a circular economy is to ensure that waste is
reduced in a more productive approach. It is also important to remind
ourselves of our collective responsibility of consumption and use of
materials in a sustainable manner. 
Auwal Yunusa of Hero Ventures took the participants through the
challenges of e-waste. He stated that there is a rapid growth of e-waste and
no infrastructure for the recycling of e-waste that can support this. Another
major challenge with waste is the health factor and environmental issues.
Substances like lead, mercury, cadmium etc are poisonous elements if not
disposed properly cause serious issues to our health and our environment. 
In Nigeria, we don’t think of how to recycle to produce new things out of
our used gadgets, and Nigeria is becoming the fastest-growing body of
importing second-hand products. To address this issue, we need to take
action to raise awareness so, Nigeria can reduce the negative impact of
waste in our environment. 
We have to find a way to recycle and manage the e-waste leaving it without
management can affect our health and the future of our children therefore,
what can we do at personal, community and state levels? 
The executive director of CITAD Engr. Yz Yau spoke about the Circular
economy in the digital sector. He stated that we live in a world that is
defined by linearity where we consume and we produce waste. As we
continue to produce, we consume more and more waste which occupies
space. As time goes on we will have to compete with waste as it consumes
a lot of space. As we consume we know that these resources that exist are
being exhausted. The development will no longer be sustainable because as
we consume there will no longer be resources as one day all these resources

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will finish and there will be nothing to dig and use. 
However, to address this issue we need to look at;
 How do we recycle the waste that we produce 
 How do we reverse this linear consumption
 We need to look into developing processes and designing processes
 How do we change the pattern of consumption in such a way that the
raw materials that we use is reduced to a certain level.
In the tech sector, we consume a lot of space in the production of towers. If
there are materials that we can use to replace steel which will no longer be
hazardous and occupy a lot of space it will be of great value. Building
towers can be carried out with the use of bamboo trees where we can plant
them and use, unlike steel which constitutes a hazard in society.
Energy is perhaps today one of the critical concerns in the manufacturing
sector whose economy is growing. However, there is an energy crisis in the
digital tech sector which is critical. We need to look at how to move to
renewable energy sources to feel the need, we need to see how to harness
solar energy they are all not based on extraction and do not affect the
environment.
When we talk about circular economy in the digital sector, we talk about
change in the design of how things are done. One of the key principles
embedded that is often not said is that products are built in a particular life
span. Manufacturers produce them in a shorter life span which gives room
for upgrade. How do we shift in a way that they can start doing it on a
longer life span?
On the issue of repairs, we cant insert the principles of recovery repair and
reuse. As the manufacturer's mindset is made in a way that you find it
difficult to repair your gadgets. Component producers should however,
design components in universality and make them in such a way that when
it is spoiled we can be able to repair them.
Overall, managing waste serves as a means to;
 Protect the health, create jobs and create wealth in the economy
 Means of transforming our economy
Nigeria as one of the largest consumers of eWaste and with an increasing
digitization that is more embedded in our society and also a fact that
poverty is increasing in Nigeria very rapidly, Affordability of electronic
goods has declined. However, with the high demand and needs of these
resources and the current situation of affordability we turn back to
secondhand electronic goods. Research has shown that these secondhands
come into Nigeria in high quantity and some of these products are even
useless. 
Engr. YZ Yau also spoke about the Policy instrument for dealing with e-
waste. He stated that there are a couple of policies in the country. One of

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which is the National Environment Standard and Regulations
Agency(NESREA) that was established to deflate secondhand goods and
making sure they are safe and can be used. Business owners that are into
importing second-hand goods most have a certificate that have met the
standard required.
There are, however, a lot of challenges with the law itself. It does not
monitor how waste is managed disposed and transformed. There is also no
awareness of the existence of this law and no compliance, further stating
that what can we do to ensure there is compliance with these policies in
Nigeria. Also, what can we do in Kano state and lastly is there is a
specifically designated area for the disposal of waste?
Resolutions made on this is that;
 There should be specific locations for disposal of these waste products
so that people who are into transformation will know exactly where to
get these products.
 Ensure as they are doing so, they make sure they stick to the safety
guidelines.
 Also, it is important to look at avenues to enhance the work of start up
eWaste organizations to expand the recycling processes in such a that
exporting of eWaste to other countries.
Also, there are opportunities and challenges of the e-waste we can no
longer go leaner on due to the economic angle of the country and the
resources available.
 The issue of enforcement and laws
 Circular economy should be encouraged
 The policies and the laws governing this waste
 Waste in general emit and takes space, that needs to be addressed as
well.
General Discussion
 Importations; Nigeria is one of the biggest markets for phones as our
people go for the cheaper secondhand gadgets due to affordability than
the new ones some of the tools imported are useless although most of
the importers come into negotiations with the distributors to get a
certain standard.
 Agencies in Kano; The agency that plays the role of NESREA in
Kano is the Ministry of Environment responsible for pollution, The
Department of Pollution Control and Ministry of environment and
Climate Change are also involved, REMESA is also working on the
management of waste. 
 Markets in Kano; Kurmi market, is one of the largest market of
waste products, the young ones can get all sorts of electronics there.
 Regulations and Policies; The issue of unemployment plays a key
role but even at that there is a need for regulations to be put in place
when it comes to waste. If we look at the statistics the regulatory body
is responsible for the guidelines, monitoring and evaluation. The law

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needs to sit up to expectations to do right. Also, Kano State has a law
for the regulations of waste products which was reviewed in 2019.
 Awareness Creations; Training and sensitization are very important.
Advocacy and media have a role to play in terms of sensitization and
awareness. Also, looking at the possibility of funding and training the
handlers of safeguarding majors handling the aspect of eWaste. CITAD
should create awareness among the larger public. Liaise with relevant
agencies to continue making awareness, which will help make our
economy grow as well and adhering to the health aspect. Advocacy
point, sensitization on the need to equip staff to protect themselves and
to stay safe. The children that pick bottles to the dump refuse takers etc
 Circular Economy and Health; There are several approaches we can
recycle waste products which on the other-hand can boost the
economy. However there are health challenges that comes with these
waste. Handlers of such should be encouraged to use protective
gadgets like mask, hand gloves etc during extraction.
 Ewaste and Economy; There are several ways solid waste can be
refined but very limited options for liquid and food waste , there is
however research being carried out by start ups organizations on how
these waste can be managed. With regards to eWaste however, it is the
new money. There are so many companies in Kano located at jakara,
gezawa that are into selling components of phones like cameras, ram etc.

Going forward these are resolutions of what we will give more
importance to mitigate and address the issue of eWaste
1. Facilities
2. Dealers to educate people on the use of socks as protections
3. Radio programme and training and to advocates the health aspect of ewaste
4. Our leaders should look at the eWaste aspect as an investment
5. Reach out to regulatory bodies
6. We should teach our children how to repair stuff when they are spoilt this
can help us mitigate the issue at hand.
7. CITAD should organize a one day sensitization for ward environmental
officers under the (Primary health care board department of control agency.)
8. Collaborate with environment Health Association Kano state to make more
awareness

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