The Circular Economy drive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) follows the generation of approximately 1,446 tonnes of waste at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, in 2023.
The figure dropped to about 1,383 tonnes in 2024, but FAAN Managing Director and Chief Executive, Mrs Olubunmi Onabanjo-Kuku, said the scale of waste generated underscored the urgent need for a new approach.
Kuku disclosed this on Wednesday during the launch of FAAN’s three-phase Circular Economy programme at the MMIA Terminal 2, Lagos, describing the initiative as a major shift towards more sustainable airport operations.
She said the challenge was not only the volume of waste generated but how it was previously managed. According to her, every tonne generated at the airport was sent to landfill without sorting or recycling, resulting in a significant environmental and economic loss.
“That chapter closes today,” Kuku declared, as FAAN unveiled the first phase of its new waste management strategy through indoor colour-coded recycling bins.
The Circular Economy programme will introduce source sorting across airport terminals, separating waste at the point of generation. Passengers, airlines, concessionaires, airport staff and other stakeholders will therefore play active roles in ensuring that recyclable materials are properly separated.
Circular Economy Programme Begins with Three Phases
Kuku said the indoor colour-coded recycling bins represent the first phase of the Circular Economy programme. The initiative will establish source sorting across terminals, ensuring waste is separated from the point where it is generated.
The second phase will introduce outdoor mammoth colour-coded recycling bins. These larger collection points will receive sorted waste from across the airport ecosystem before it moves to the next stage of the process.
In the third phase, FAAN will engage a certified third-party operator to collect and transport the separated materials to dedicated recycling facilities. The materials will include plastics, glass, cans and organic waste.
“This partnership ensures that our waste is not merely moved, but transformed,” Kuku said.
The FAAN chief executive said the strategy would create a more structured system for managing waste generated by passengers, airlines, concessionaires and other airport users.
She urged everyone operating within the airport environment to embrace the system and correctly use the designated bins.
FAAN Targets Lower Costs, Less Landfill Waste
The authority said the initiative is not being introduced merely to satisfy regulatory requirements or follow global environmental trends.
Instead, FAAN believes the programme makes sound business sense by supporting the principles of re-use, recovery and recycling.
Kuku said recycling could help the authority reduce overhead costs associated with procuring new products. By creating demand for recycled materials, FAAN can help close the materials loop while potentially lowering operational expenditure.
Furthermore, diverting recyclable materials from landfills could reduce the volume of waste requiring disposal. This could help ease pressure on the environment while improving waste management practices across the airport.
The programme therefore combines environmental responsibility with potential operational and financial benefits.
Waste-to-Power Initiative Next
FAAN’s recycling programme could also provide the foundation for a more ambitious energy project.
Kuku said the authority plans to activate a Waste-to-Power initiative as part of its broader sustainability ambitions. The proposed project would seek to convert waste into a valuable energy source rather than treating it solely as a disposal problem.
The move could further strengthen FAAN’s efforts to improve resource recovery while reducing the environmental impact of airport operations.
Meanwhile, the initiative is also linked to the authority’s carbon management commitments. Kuku said recycling represents a critical component of FAAN’s Carbon Management Plan and its efforts towards meeting net-zero requirements.
The programme aligns with the global Airport Carbon Accreditation framework managed by Airports Council International (ACI).
“We are not just talking about sustainability; we are engineering it into our operations,” she said.
Circular Economy Rollout Expands Beyond MMIA
FAAN said the programme will extend beyond Lagos, with other international airports expected to receive their colour-coded recycling bins in the coming months.
The rollout positions the Circular Economy initiative as a broader effort to change waste management practices across Nigeria’s aviation sector.
Kuku said FAAN was conscious of the potential environmental and social impacts of its operations. While the authority remains focused on generating revenue, she stressed that business growth must be pursued responsibly.
She said FAAN’s environmental approach was also designed to support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
The Managing Director described the MMIA launch as a foundational step towards building a cleaner and greener aviation industry. She also called for collective responsibility from everyone who uses or operates within the airport environment.
“Waste is everybody’s business,” Kuku said.
She noted that responsibility extends from passengers disposing of plastic bottles to concessionaires managing packaging and airlines handling inflight catering waste.
Therefore, the success of the Circular Economy programme will depend significantly on how well stakeholders follow the new waste separation system.
With MMIA generating more than 1,300 tonnes of waste annually in the two years cited by FAAN, the authority’s three-phase strategy marks a significant shift in how airport waste is managed.
The planned expansion to other international airports and the proposed Waste-to-Power initiative could further advance FAAN’s sustainability ambitions.
For Nigeria’s aviation industry, the Circular Economy programme offers a new approach to treating waste as a resource while supporting cleaner, more efficient and environmentally responsible airport operations.
