Business
NGO Trains 100 On e-Waste
The E-waste Relief Foundation (ERF) says it is training 100 Lagos e-waste handlers from Alaba International Market and Computer Village on proper handling of e-waste and remain healthy.
The President of ERF, Dr Ifeanyi Ochonogor, last Wednesday in Lagos during the training said that it would enhance the capacity and management of e-waste handlers, at the same time remain healthy.
He said that the objective of the programme was to upgrade the way the informal sector handle e-waste, adding that e-waste had been doing a lot of harm to the country’s ozone layer and ecosystem in general.
“The training is necessary to forestall misconduct in the disposal of electronic wastes management, especially as they are toxin.
“The toxins ones release poison in the ozone, water and the environment, as handlers are always burning cables to get copper, which is poisonous and this should be stopped.
“We are training 100 participants from Alaba market and Computer Village on how to handle electronic waste.
“They will be trained by top government officials who know the implication of electronic waste and are willing to do something about it.
“There will be monitoring measures in place such as the quarterly programme and networking agencies to ensure that the training is effective and the materials given to the handlers will be judiciously used, “ he said.
Ochonogor, however, commended government’s effort in waste management and urged government at all levels to participate more by providing basic tools needed to manage waste.
The Chairman, ERF, Prof. Oladele Osibanjo said that his dream was to see that the informal sector of e-waste handlers transformed to the formal sector and make money without endangering themselves.
Osibanjo said that most times, the handlers were usually exposed to ill health due to improper e-waste management and possible die carelessly without enjoying the money made from the e-waste business.
“There is the sweet and sour side of e-waste, the sweet side is the copper silver or gold gotten from the waste, while the sour side is the toxins that are cancerous,’’ he said.
He said that those toxins could be prevented from causing harm to the body with the right form of sensitisation, training and awareness “which is the reason for the programme.
“Payment of tuition fees for undergraduate/postgraduate studies shall be subject to a maximum limit of $25,000.00 per semester,” the Manual states.
The expansion of international card limits also reflects growing confidence among lenders that foreign exchange liquidity has improved enough to support retail dollar transactions.
Speaking recently at the BusinessDay 14th Annual CEO Forum in Lagos, CBN Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the CBN said buying and selling activities now increasingly determine outcomes in the foreign exchange market, unlike in the past when market participants relied heavily on routine Central Bank interventions.
According to Cardoso, Nigeria’s net foreign exchange reserves have risen from just over $3 billion at the start of the reform programme to more than $40 billion, while gross reserves have climbed to about $52 billion, providing stronger confidence for investors and enabling the Central Bank to reserve interventions for periods of market stress rather than day-to-day liquidity management.
The restoration and expansion of international naira card spending limits are increasingly being seen as one of the clearest signs that the benefits of the CBN’s foreign exchange reforms are beginning to reach households, students and businesses making legitimate cross-border payments.
The Secretary-General and Chief Executive Officer, WEC, Dr Angela Wilkinson, disclosed this in a statement, last Thursday.
“Nigeria’s participation comes at a pivotal time as the country seeks to expand energy access, strengthen energy security, accelerate gas development and mobilise the capital required for industrialisation and sustainable economic growth.
“WEC Nigeria will convene leaders from across the energy ecosystem, apply the WEC’s globally recognised Energy Trilemma framework to Nigeria’s unique context, and promote evidence-based dialogue, practical collaboration and informed policymaking.
“It will also ensure that Nigerian and broader African perspectives contribute meaningfully to global energy conversations,” she said.
Wilkinson expressed confidence that Nigeria would play a significant leadership role at the World Energy Congress scheduled for Riyadh in April 2027 and beyond.
The statement also quoted the Chairman of WEC Nigeria, Isa, as describing the country’s participation as an opportunity to deepen national and African leadership within the global energy community through practical solutions tailored to regional development priorities.
He said the platform would promote collaboration across sectors and attract sustainable investments into Nigeria’s energy sector.
The Chief Executive Officer of WEC Nigeria, Wunti, was quoted in the statement as saying that the council would connect leadership, evidence and investment to build a secure, affordable and sustainable energy system.
“This system will be capable of driving economic growth and shared prosperity.”
According to him, the platform will also connect Nigerian institutions and businesses with international knowledge, technology, partnerships and investment opportunities through the World Energy Council’s global network.
Recall that WEC, founded in 1923, is the world’s oldest independent and impartial community of energy leaders and practitioners, advancing informed, collaborative and practical action across the global energy system.
