Rite Foods Limited has unveiled a bold new environmental programme, the “Waste-Is-Naira” (W.I.N) initiative, in partnership with RecyclePoints. The initiative is designed to incentivise recycling, advance Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and create economic opportunities by turning post-consumer plastic waste into cash for Nigerians.
Brandspur Brand News reports that the launch event took place at Rite Foods’ headquarters in Opebi, Lagos, and brought together key stakeholders, including Lagos State Ministry of the Environment, Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), and the Food and Beverage Recycling Alliance (FBRA). Community leaders and sustainability experts were also present, emphasising the initiative’s broad collaborative impact.
The W.I.N programme operationalises EPR by providing a structured system for the recovery, collection, and recycling of plastic bottles and beverage cans. Residents can now exchange used packaging for cash, with the scheme targeting an annual recovery of over 750 tonnes of plastic waste. By embedding financial incentives into recycling, Rite Foods aims to reduce environmental pollution, promote circularity in packaging use, and stimulate grassroots economic activity.
Ekuma Eze, Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Rite Foods, described the initiative as a natural progression of the company’s sustainability efforts. “Waste-Is-Naira institutionalises a system where post-consumer waste is recovered, reintegrated into the value chain, and translated into tangible socio-economic benefits for Nigerians,” he said, highlighting the company’s commitment to closing the loop on packaging materials.
Daniel Oderinde, Programme Manager at RecyclePoints, explained that participants receive designated W.I.N sack bags to encourage proper waste segregation at the source. Filled bags are delivered to collection hubs, where waste is weighed, logged digitally, and payments processed, ensuring transparency, traceability, and financial inclusion.
Akin Disu, Founder of Popbeachclub and RiteonTheBeach partner, noted the initiative transforms perceptions of waste. “What we call waste is simply value in the wrong place. By connecting people to opportunities, we unlock both environmental and livelihood benefits,” he said.
Regulatory stakeholders praised the initiative for aligning with environmental compliance and fostering public-private collaboration. Mrs. Adedayo Adebayo, Director of Environmental Sustainability at LASEPA, emphasised structured frameworks for sustainable impact, while LAWMA’s Oguntola Omolara described W.I.N as a timely intervention supporting Lagos State’s waste management goals.
Arese Onigise, Executive Secretary of FBRA, highlighted the broader significance of the programme for the circular economy. “Waste-Is-Naira exemplifies how producers can go beyond compliance to actively implement EPR. Incentivised collection systems integrate informal waste actors and create scalable models for environmental sustainability in Nigeria,” she said.
The initiative is designed as an inclusive, community-driven system incorporating households, waste pickers, and aggregators into a formal recycling value chain. Beyond environmental gains, W.I.N is expected to generate jobs, empower informal waste collectors, and strengthen Nigeria’s circular economy.
By embedding EPR principles into a structured, community-focused model, Rite Foods demonstrates how corporate leadership aligned with regulatory frameworks can drive measurable environmental and socio-economic outcomes, while encouraging citizens to actively participate in sustainable waste management.
