The Anambra State Government, through its Ministry of Environment, has joined a high-level delegation of environmental stakeholders from both public and private sectors across Nigeria on a strategic mission to the Netherlands. The initiative, titled “Netherlands-Nigeria Innovation Exchange,” was facilitated by the Consulate General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, in collaboration with the Circular Business Platform (CBP) Nigeria and Dutch partners.
The innovation exchange, held recently, brought together key players in sustainability, waste management, and circular economy practices. The mission’s primary goal was to explore cutting-edge circular economy solutions, foster collaboration between Nigerian and Dutch stakeholders, and unlock green business opportunities, particularly for Anambra State.
Speaking to journalists upon his return, Anambra State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Felix Odimegwu, who represented the state during the mission, described the trip as a transformative experience. He emphasized that the delegation engaged in high-value networking, strategic engagements, and hands-on learning aimed at addressing Anambra’s pressing environmental challenges, ranging from waste management and resource efficiency to climate adaptation and inclusive economic growth.
“This visit exposed us to scalable technologies and models that can be directly replicated in Anambra,” Dr. Odimegwu said. “We toured several innovative Dutch facilities, including the Waste Transformer, HVC Organic Waste Factory, which serves 52 municipal councils with state-of-the-art waste processing technology, Boessenkool Machine Production for municipal waste solutions, DeSpray Environmental Technology for aerosol recycling, and the groundbreaking Floating Farm, which demonstrates sustainable urban agriculture.”
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The Managing Director of Holland Circular Hotspot, Mr. Freek van Eijk, highlighted the Netherlands’ global reputation for innovation in sustainability and emphasized the potential for knowledge transfer. “By closing resource loops and minimizing environmental footprints, the Netherlands is creating inclusive green jobs,” he said. “This mission is a step toward extending those benefits to Nigeria and Anambra State in particular.”
Also speaking during the mission, Mr. Opeyemi Orinowo, Policy Adviser on Economic Affairs and Public Diplomacy at the Dutch Consulate in Nigeria, noted that the initiative builds on a scoping mission conducted in Anambra earlier in May 2025. He affirmed that the findings revealed strong alignment between Dutch circular economy initiatives and Anambra’s environmental development goals.
The exchange concluded with an evaluation workshop that will inform a joint action agenda to guide future cooperation. Dr. Odimegwu reaffirmed Anambra’s commitment to adopting tested circular economy strategies from the Netherlands, describing the visit not just as a learning mission, but as a launchpad for implementing innovative and sustainable solutions back home.
“This is not just about importing technology, it’s about transforming our systems for long-term impact,” the Commissioner said.