Pollution to Solution: The Power of Collaborative Environmental Research in Nigeria
Global partnerships tackling Nigeria’s pollution crisis
Location
Fine Arts : 011
Date & Time
September 24, 2025, 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm
Description
Join us for a presentation exploring how strategic international partnerships are transforming pollution challenges into scalable environmental solutions.
Speaker: Ngozi Oguquah
Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research, Lagos, Nigeria
Pollution to Solution: The Power of Collaborative Environmental Research in Nigeria
Abstract: Nigeria faces severe environmental challenges, with 94% of its population exposed to air pollution exceeding WHO guidelines and ranking 9th globally in ocean plastic emissions. This presentation demonstrates how strategic international partnerships are transforming these challenges into innovative solutions with global scaling potential.
The collaborative framework involves the Royal Academy of Engineering, UK universities, the Nigerian Institute for Oceanography and Marine Research (NIOMR), and Nigerian policy institutions addressing pollution in Lagos State. Through integrated field investigations, laboratory analysis, and stakeholder engagement, the partnership achieved breakthrough discoveries, including the identification of contamination hotspots, comprehensive baseline data collection, and advanced chemical analysis that revealed concerning heavy metal levels in waterways.
Key innovations include machine learning for plastic identification in drone imagery, documentary creation for evidence-based advocacy, and capacity-building programs enhancing Nigerian scientists' capabilities through hands-on training and co-creation research methodologies. The research directly informed policy reforms on industrial waste disposal, reached over 50,000 residents through education campaigns, and established community-based plastic collection points.
The presentation concludes with replication pathways demonstrating that 85% of sub-Saharan African environmental challenges are addressable with Nigerian-developed solutions, offering 62% cost reductions compared to imported technologies across a potential 3.2 billion-person market. This represents a transformative model for global environmental collaboration.