TRAC and UT-PRON Partner on End-of-Life Tire Management in Nigeria

The Tire and Rubber Association of Canada (TRAC) and Nigeria’s Used Tyres and Producer Responsibility Organization (UT-PRON) have signed a Memorandum of Collaboration (MoC) to support the development of sustainable end-of-life tire (ELT) management and recycling systems in Nigeria. The agreement establishes a framework for technical cooperation, knowledge sharing and capacity building.

TRAC President and CEO Carol Hochu and UT-PRON CEO Dr. Uche Ibeh signed the agreement in Toronto in the presence of Professor Innocent Barikor, Director General and CEO of Nigeria’s National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA). The signing followed a Nigeria-Canada ELT Circularity Workshop attended by government representatives, regulators and industry stakeholders from both countries.

The workshop focused on Canada’s extended producer responsibility framework, regulatory oversight, tire collection networks, recycling infrastructure and end-market development. Canadian experts also shared practical experience from more than three decades of tire recycling and resource recovery programs.

As part of the visit, the Nigerian delegation toured CRM of Canada Processing ULC in Brantford, Ontario, where participants reviewed crumb rubber processing operations and applications for recovered tire materials. These include rubber-modified asphalt, molded and extruded rubber products, and synthetic turf infill.

Under the MoC, TRAC and UT-PRON will cooperate on producer responsibility, ELT collection and management, recycling infrastructure, stakeholder engagement and circular economy practices. The partnership is intended to help Nigeria assess lessons from established Canadian programs while adapting approaches to local regulatory and market conditions.

“TRAC is pleased to support UT-PRON and its stakeholders as they work to develop a sustainable ELT management system in Nigeria,” said Hochu. She said the collaboration would focus on practical lessons from Canada’s experience in producer responsibility, resource recovery and market development.

Ibeh said the partnership would support efforts to strengthen collection systems, regulatory compliance and recycling infrastructure in Nigeria while developing solutions suited to the country’s needs.

NESREA also welcomed the collaboration, noting the role of international cooperation in supporting extended producer responsibility and environmentally sound resource management.

Source: Tire and Rubber Association of Canada

SUNSHINE Spotlight: The TRAC-UT-PRON partnership will bring Canadian ELT management experience to Nigeria as the country works to strengthen tire collection, recycling infrastructure and producer responsibility systems.