By Peter Onyekachukwu 
By Peter Onyekachukwu
As the world marked World Environment Day (WED) 2025 with a global call to action against plastic pollution, Chevron Nigeria Limited (CNL) has reaffirmed its commitment to sustainable environmental practices, particularly in effective waste management and plastic reduction.
Speaking through a statement issued on Wednesday in Warri, Delta State, Jim Swartz, Chairman and Managing Director of Chevron Nigeria, noted that the company is intensifying its efforts to reduce the health, environmental, and safety impacts of plastic waste in its operations.
“Chevron remains committed to environmental stewardship through responsible design, operation, and eventual retirement of our assets,” Swartz said. “We are deliberately incorporating sustainable waste management practices to minimize our environmental footprint.”
This year’s WED theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” reflects one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Swartz said the theme resonates strongly with Chevron’s values and long-standing environmental principles.
According to the Chevron boss, the oil giant has implemented several internal initiatives, including reducing single-use plastics in the workplace and investing in equipment that compacts, crushes, and recycles plastic waste. “These actions ensure our plastic waste doesn’t leak into surrounding ecosystems,” he added.
Chevron’s investment in high-tech Optical Gas Imaging (OGI) cameras has also enabled it to detect and reduce methane emissions more efficiently, with Swartz revealing that the company has slashed routine gas flaring by over 97% in the past decade.
Highlighting Chevron’s broader environmental footprint, Swartz pointed to its partnership with the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF), which led to the establishment of the Lekki Conservation Centre in 1992. The 78-hectare nature reserve serves as a research and education hub and a sanctuary for indigenous species on the Lekki Peninsula.
“Beyond conservation efforts, we also support academic advancement,” Swartz added. “Since 2005, we’ve funded postgraduate scholarships for PhD students in environmental studies and hosted the annual S.L. Edu Memorial Lecture to promote environmental awareness.”
On his part, Olusoga Oduselu, General Manager, Policy, Government and Public Affairs at CNL, emphasized the company’s long-standing approach to biodiversity protection through partnerships with regulators, conservation bodies, and host communities.
“For over six decades, Chevron has remained a strong advocate for sustainable development,” Oduselu said. “As the world unites to beat plastic pollution, we are committed to raising awareness and promoting real environmental change that protects both today and future generations.”
As Nigeria grapples with growing concerns over waste pollution, Chevron’s reaffirmation of its environmental responsibility sends a strong message: that global energy development and environmental preservation must—and can—go hand in hand.