Bennett Oghifo
TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to climate action and environmental sustainability by expanding its school-based recycling and environmental education initiative to additional public schools in Lagos, in partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF).
The programme, which commemorates the 2026 World Environment Day, aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 13 on Climate Action and is designed to instill environmental responsibility among young Nigerians through practical sustainability education.
Speaking during the donation of recycling bins to schools in Lagos, the Managing Director of TotalEnergies Marketing Nigeria Plc, Mr. Wilfried Konde, said the initiative underscores the company’s long-standing commitment to environmental protection, community engagement and sustainable development.
Addressing education officials, school administrators, representatives of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, journalists and employees of the company, Konde explained that the programme had already reached 10 schools located around the company’s service stations in Apapa, Surulere and Victoria Island.
According to him, about 500 students have benefited from environmental education sessions, recycling bin donations and inter-school environmental sanitation activities aimed at promoting proper waste management and environmental consciousness.
He disclosed that accountability remains a key feature of the programme, noting that recyclable materials are collected twice every school term under the supervision of environmental club coordinators and district environmental officers.
Konde revealed that between December 2024 and June 2026, participating schools collected a total of 12,596 kilograms of recyclable waste, demonstrating the positive impact of sustained environmental awareness campaigns among young learners.
He added that the initiative was being extended to four additional schools in Yaba and Apapa, where recycling bins would be donated and students encouraged to participate in an inter-school clean-up competition.
“As a responsible corporate organisation, we encourage our communities, especially young people, to embrace sustainable practices and play an active role in building a cleaner, healthier environment,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, the General Manager, Country Services, TotalEnergies Companies in Nigeria, Mrs. Adesua Adewole, described environmental sustainability as a core value of the organisation, stressing that the company remains a strong supporter of the Sustainable Development Goals.
She explained that World Environment Day 2026 places renewed emphasis on climate action, an issue TotalEnergies considers a priority across the more than 130 countries where it operates.
Adewole noted that TotalEnergies, which marks its 70th anniversary in Nigeria this year, has consistently integrated environmental responsibility into its operations since establishing its first service station on Herbert Macaulay Street in Yaba in 1956.
She said the environmental education initiative focuses on teaching schoolchildren the importance of proper waste disposal and recycling while encouraging them to become ambassadors for environmental sustainability within their communities.
According to her, teachers in participating schools have embraced the initiative, while the Nigerian Conservation Foundation provides technical support by educating students on practical ways of protecting their immediate environment.
“TotalEnergies is all about clean, wholesome energy. We are teaching children from a very young age to understand environmental responsibility so they can build a better world tomorrow,” she stated.
She disclosed that before the latest phase of the programme, recycling bins had already been distributed to 10 schools, adding that the company would increase the number to 14 schools with the inclusion of schools in Yaba and Apapa.
The company, she said, would continue collaborating with stakeholders to expand environmental awareness initiatives that promote responsible waste management and climate resilience among young Nigerians.
The initiative further reflects the growing role of private sector organisations in supporting environmental education and complementing government efforts to address climate change, improve waste management and encourage sustainable lifestyles through early engagement with students.
Through its partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, TotalEnergies said it hopes to nurture a new generation of environmentally conscious citizens equipped to contribute meaningfully to Nigeria’s sustainability and climate goals.
