How to start a Waste Management Business in Nigeria
Waste can be defined as any material, substance that is no
longer useful after being used for the completion of a process.
An individual purchased a bottle of water, after drinking the
water he disposes the container. The container here is regarded
as waste. Waste is an item or substance that is discarded after
primary use.
Types of waste includes:
Solid waste
As
the name implies, solid waste are waste that are not in liquid
form. These type of
waste are produced from our homes, offices, factories, schools,
markets, farms and can be found anywhere in the environment.
Solid waste is one of the most common waste in the world. Solid
waste consists of Old furniture and beds, worn out tires, old
newspapers, animal wastes e.g. animal bones e.t.c
Liquid waste: These are waste that are not in solid form but in
fluid form. Some solid waste are converted to liquid waste in
order to aid disposal. Liquid waste consists of wash water from
residential houses, liquid waste from factories e.t.c
Hazardous
waste: Hazardous waste are wastes that causes harm to the
environment and those in it. Hazardous waste can take different
forms, they could either be inflammable (can easily catch fire),
corrosive (can easily eat through metal, toxic (poisonous). Some
of these hazardous waste affect the ozone layer by gradually
depleting it. Examples of hazardous waste are pesticides,
insecticides, old fluorescent bulbs, aerosol cans, fire
extinguishers, old batteries and mercury containing equipment.
Organic
waste: Organic waste are waste that includes all animal and
plants by-product or excreta. These includes excreta, feed
waste, decaying plant materials etc. These kind of waste are
biodegradable and can be easily converted to compost that can be
applied to farms or gardens in order to aid in the growth of
plants
In simple terms waste management deals with the recycling of
waste. The waste management business is gaining momentum in
Nigeria because it is a very profitable one.
Apart from being a profitable business, it also allows
the environment we are living in to be free from harmful waste
materials that can cause pollution and harm to our environment
and health.
On a daily basis, tons of waste are generated in the country.
Waste management business does not require a high cost of
capital and the raw materials are readily available everywhere
in the environment. Waste management business in Nigeria
requires in-depth knowledge and planning otherwise the capital
invested in this business will turn out to be wasted. There are
endless opportunities in the waste management business in
Nigeria that one can tap into. With more Buildings springing up
means more residents and an increase waste produced. The
increase in the amount of waste produced makes the business
profitable.
The following waste items are used in the waste management
business: Plastic products, Wood, Wire, Cables, Rubber, Small
electronic equipment, Batteries, Computer Keyboards, Cellular
phones, Laptops and Desktops, Plastic water bottle, Electronics,
Different kinds of paper, Metal Scrap, Glass
Polythene such as laundry bags, shopping bags, pure water
sachets, yogurt wrappers, soft poly bags, hospital drip bags,
popcorn wrapper, bread wrapper and cellophane
Aluminium, Textiles, Food leftovers waste, Twigs, All leaves,
And any other garden waste decomposed by worms for conversion
into fertilizers.,
Your trade customers as a waste management organization might
include: Offices and shops, Farmers, Food and catering
businesses that need to dispose of animal by-products and food
waste, Factories and workshops, Garages and car repair
businesses, doctors surgeries and clinics, Building firms,
Organisations such as local authorities, colleges, hospitals,
schools e.t.c
WASTE MANAGEMENT BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES IN NIGERIA
You can start the following waste management businesses in
Nigeria
Plastic recycling plant: This deals with the collection of
plastic items such used for soft drinks, chairs etc. This is one
of the most common waste management business. Plastics collected
can be recycled to chairs and nylon bags
Waste collection centre: A waste collection centre can also be
referred to as a garbage site where people bring goods that can
be recycled in exchange for a fee
Scrap metal depot: This deals part of machinery and equipment
that are useless. Scrap metals are usually expensive than
plastics and it is also more lucrative than most of other
recyclable products
Bio-fuel production depot; A Bio-fuel production depot deals
with collection of bio-fuel which is gotten from waste. Bio-fuel
serves as alternatives to kerosene, petrol and diesel and it can
be used to power machineries.
Sale of waste management equipment and machineries
Instead of dealing with waste materials, you could decide to
sell waste management equipment. You can build strong network
with those in the industry and sell waste management equipment
and machineries to them in order to make your gain
Cleaning of tanks, ships and large containers: Another lucrative
business in the waste management industry is the cleaning of
vessels of oil and gas companies, tanks and large containers
Collection of rubber and recycling plant: This deals with
collection of rubber waste and recycling them into products such
as floor surfaces, railroad tiles, quality and durable plastics.
This is also another waste management business that brings
profit
Mobile Toilet Rental Business: Renting of mobile toilets by
companies, churches, organizations for occasions has been on the
rise. This is also a lucrative business
Residential garbage collection business: This deals collecting
the garbage and waste by residential environments who are
seeking for ways to ensure that their environments are clean.
You can render waste management services to estates and other
serene environments
Electronic waste collection and recycling plant: This deals with
the collection of electronic waste such as phones, gadgets,
televisions, radios, computers etc. these kind of items are
demanded by manufacturers of electronics and they are willing to
pay high costs for them
Medical and toxic waste disposal business: This deals with
collection and the disposal of medical wastes such as syringes,
cotton wools, bandages, overalls, gloves. Hospitals and clinics
are seeking for reliable sources that will aid in the disposal
of such items without creating public health concerns
Disposable waste bag manufacturing business: One of the most
convenient ways of disposing waste is through the use of
disposable bags that are reliable and cost effective. They are
used in many homes and corporations
Professional cleaning service: Another waste management business
is offering professional cleaning services to the society.
It involves sourcing cleaning services to residential
environments and corporate organizations in order to maintain
cleanliness
Oil recycling collection business:This deals with collection of
oil used in factories, restaurants, catering businesses, homes
and using them to manufacture bio-fuel. You can start this by
creating an avenue for people to sell their remnant oil instead
of disposing it.
Paper recycling business: Collection of paper waste which
amounts a high number in the waste industry can be recycled in
order to make tissue papers
Oil spill cleaning service: Nigeria oil and gas producing
companies experience oil spillage which is detrimental to the
environment. The Niger Delta region in Nigeria is mostly covered
with oil spillage. This is a creative business opportunity that
is very profitable. An the average oil spillage contract ranges
from 5 to 25 years
Clothes recycling business: Used and old clothes can also be
recycled into reusable items such as mattresses, rugs, clothes.
Industrial waste disposal business: Most factories generate a
large amount of industrial waste which is hazardous to the
environment. They hardly use these waste and are on the lookout
for those who will pick up their waste. You could pick it up and
resell to other waste management businesses that are in need of
it
Battery recycling business: This is another recycling business
that involves the collection of batteries and selling them to
companies that would revive the dead batteries
Construction waste recycling business: During construction of
buildings, there are always waste materials such as wood,
concrete, aluminium, steel, nails, ceramic tiles etc. you
organization could offer to clean up the construction site for a
fee and also resell the waste products
PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES ON HOW TO START A WASTE MANAGEMENT
BUSINESS IN NIGERIA
Before starting your own waste management business in Nigeria,
there are certain steps, procedure and guidelines that one must
follow in order to avoid any hiccup in the business. These
procedures includes
Decide on your area of specialization
Before starting out a waste management business, you should pick
field in the waste management industry that you want to
specialize in. The niche or waste management services you will
render might depend on your finances, location and the scope of
your business. There are different type of waste management
business that one can indulge in. They include
Toxic or hazardous waste disposal, Medical waste disposal of
items like needles, medical gadgets etc.
Electronic waste disposal of items like computer parts and
phones
Metal parts disposal of items like refrigerator, fan, parts of
cars and motorcycles etc.
Green waste management, Household waste disposal of items like
newspapers, rotten vegetables, Chemical waste disposal,
Biomedical waste disposal
Construction waste disposal
After deciding on the services you want to offer there are
different aspects to processing the waste. They include:
Gathering wastes by yourself and selling them
This is common in Nigeria as scavengers with wheelbarrows by off
from those willing to sell. Another example is those in mini
trucks that collect from homes too. This requires very little
capital to start
Buying from waste sellers and reselling to recycling companies
In this scenario, you serve as the middle man buying from
scavengers of waste products and reselling at a higher price to
recycling companies in order to make your profit
Gathering or buying waste products and processing to new
products
This requires a higher cost of capital than the two mentioned
above because it requires having your own company, staffs and
equipment in order for you to be able to process waste products
into new products. This is the most profitable method of
starting a waste management business.
Determine your pricing: The next step for you to take is to
determine the price that you will charge to your clients on the
waste. You need to determine how much you will charge the
household, factories and companies. You may charge the amount
based on their size or the weight of the waste
Purchase the necessary equipment and vehicles
As part of the cost of starting up a waste management business,
certain equipment and vehicles will be needed in the course of
work. They include
Waste collection truck
N2,000,000
Biomass Carbonization machine N7,000,000
Waste sorting machine N10,000,000
Carbon black processing plant N6,000,000
Waste distillation plant N18,000,000
Waste plastic pyrolysis plant N15,000,000
Waste plastic recycling plant N11,000,000
Overall, Boots, Face masks, Hand gloves, Shovels, Wheel barrows,
Rent an office space
An office space that is easily accessible to clients is very
important. An
office where negotiations will be carried out, receipts will be
issued and other administrative activities will also be done.
The office location could be situated in highly populated areas
with lots of residents
Produce customized waste bins and plates
This can also be referred to as branding. Producing branded
waste bins with your company’s unique logo for your Customers
attracts them. This can be done by creating unique designs that
will give you an edge over your competitors.
Hire employees: Another step is to hire workers for your waste
management business.
The success of your business is also dependent on the
people that you hire, which is why you need to hire the right
people. You will hire the services of waste collectors, drivers
and other administrative duties.
Personnel can be gotten through: Posting about the vacancy on
your website and across any social media or email marketing
channels
Asking your business network, as well as friends and family if
they know anyone suitable
Adding the vacancy to general recruitment websites
Advertising the vacancy in industry trade media or local
newspapers
Market and promote your business
This deals with advertising your business by informing people
about what you do. You can market your business by
Launching a website or a mobile application, Distributing
fliers, Creating a unique business name, Developing an
attractive logo
Place adverts on ICT magazines and related newspapers, radio
stations and TV stations, Encouraging your customers to make
referrals on your behalf, Leveraging on social media platforms
and advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn in
order to promote your business
Launch your business and maintain your reputation
After all procedures have been carried out, the owner of the
business can launch it and ensure that it abides to the rules
and regulations governing it. You must also ensure that you
deliver excellent services to your clients and customers
The waste management business has the potential to make millions
of naira to the business owner if the right steps and measures
are taken. Utilizing a large amount of waste and transforming it
into a usable product is a good deed for the environment as well
as a business. With the right information, you can be part of
this fast-growing industry
Get our Practical Guide on How to start a waste Management
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successful Waste
Management Business
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