National Association of Scrap and Waste Workers of Nigeria (NASWON)

Lagos, Nigeria

Primary information

Year formed

2018

Registered in

2021

Language

English

Number of members

700

Type of members

Members are waste pickers

Occupation of members

Scrap dealers, Waste pickers

Type of Organization

Association

Organizational Reach

National

Workplace of members

Collection from companies, Door to door, Dumpsite, Home-based, Landfill, Slums, Street

Membership

No

Organization Structure

There will be an election once they get the certificate by the government.

Objectives

The same as the Global Alliance of Waste Pickers.

Education and training

Risks & health

Partnering organizations

FIWON

Funding

Self funded

Internal elections

Every 3 years

Women composition

33,7%

Social networking sites

Benefits

Services

What kind of relationship exists with the municipality?

None

How is the relationship with the municipality?

Excellent and/or friendly

Types of materials

Bottles, Cans, Clothing, Electronic waste, Glass, Household items, Metals, Paper and cardboard, Plastic, Plastics, Shoe soles

Are they selling to middlemen?

Yes

Activities

Buying materials, Cleaning, Collecting materials, Collection of recyclables, Community sale of materials, Community storage of materials, Organizing collective events, Selling materials, Sorting waste, Special collections from large generators of waste, Training and capacity building

Challenges to access waste

Contamination from waste, Foul smell & contamination from waste, Harassment from authorities, Lack of education & training, Lack of infrastructure & resources, Lack of recognition, Lack of tools, Lack of unity between organizations, Obtaining licenses, Price fluctuations of waste, Privatization, Transportation

Complementary Information

Information source

Interview with Friday Oku. 2022-02-15

Comments / Narrative

We are organizing the Wastepickers in Nigeria through their different clusters or dump sites and we are processing the registration under Trade Union Act in the Ministry of Labour and Employment.

National Association of Scrap and Waste Workers of Nigeria (NASWON); an affiliate of The Federation of Informal Workers’ Organizations of Nigeria (FIWON) is a platform that represent those at the base of the recycling industry whose source of livelihood depends on the collection, sorting and recycling of waste. These three activities are always interrelated reflecting the environmental implications of their work. NASWON engages government at all levels, the private sector, local and international development agencies to promote knowledge driven initiatives to advance the socio-economic rights of scrap and waste workers.

NASWON submitted for certification in 2021 and is still waiting for an answer (as of February 2022).

The National Association of Scrap and Waste Workers of Nigeria (NASWON) was formerly named National Union of Scrap and Waste Workers of Nigeria (NUSWON).