Nigeria has joined 23 other non-OECD countries in requesting inclusion on the European Union’s list of nations eligible to import non-hazardous waste.
The European Commission confirmed the submissions on Monday, stating that the requests align with the new Waste Shipments Regulation introduced under the EU Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan.
Non-hazardous waste, which accounts for 95.6% of solid waste in Europe, includes packaging, clothing, plastics, bottles, and demolition materials such as concrete, bricks, and stones.
The new regulation imposes stricter controls on waste imports and exports between the EU and non-OECD nations, with a full ban on plastic waste exports set to take effect by November 2026.
To gain approval, applicant countries must demonstrate their capacity to handle non-hazardous waste in an environmentally responsible manner, meeting or exceeding EU standards. The European Commission is reviewing detailed submissions from the applicants before finalizing a list of approved nations.
Alongside Nigeria, other countries that have submitted requests include Bangladesh, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Morocco, Pakistan, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Singapore, Thailand, Tunisia, Ukraine, and Vietnam.
The Commission is expected to publish the final list by November 2026, with the new regulations coming into effect in May 2027.
Countries that miss the February 2025 deadline may still apply, but there is no guarantee their requests will be processed before the first list is approved. The European Commission has indicated that the list will be updated regularly, at least once every two years.