By Ayomide Otitoju
Rite Foods Limited has donated 600 protective coveralls and waste management tools to workers of the Ogun State Waste Management Authority (OGWAMA) as part of efforts to support environmental cleanliness and recognise the role of waste workers in maintaining healthy communities.
The donation was made to mark World Cleanup Day 2026, themed “From Clean Plates to Clean Cities,” and was formally presented to OGWAMA management on Wednesday, September 30, at the Authority’s headquarters in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
The initiative is aimed at promoting environmental sustainability, waste recovery and recycling, while supporting workers involved in waste collection and management across the state.
Speaking at the event, Rite Foods’ Head of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Ekuma Eze, said the donation was intended to recognise the contribution of waste management workers and provide them with equipment to perform their duties more effectively.
“We recognise the important work that waste management workers do every day to keep our communities clean. Their contribution is critical, yet it often goes unrecognised. This initiative is our way of appreciating them while supporting them with the tools they need to carry out their responsibilities more effectively,” Eze said.
He said the initiative formed part of Rite Foods’ broader sustainability strategy, which focuses on ecological preservation, waste recovery and recycling.
Eze said about 30 per cent of the materials used to produce the donated coveralls were sourced from recyclable waste generated from the company’s sausage and beverage packaging.
He said the process demonstrated how materials that might otherwise end up in drains or landfills could be recovered and converted into useful products.
“This is a practical demonstration that what we call waste can become a resource when properly recovered and recycled,” Eze said.
He added that Rite Foods was working towards achieving zero waste to landfill by 2030 by increasing the recovery and recycling of materials generated from its operations.
Eze also highlighted the company’s Riteonthebeach initiative, which focuses on waste collection and recycling across Lagos and shoreline communities.
He said the partnership with OGWAMA was particularly significant because of the Authority’s role in maintaining environmental cleanliness in Ogun State, where Rite Foods operates a manufacturing facility.
Eze also recalled that the company donated school bags made from recycled waste materials to children in Lagos and Ogun states during its 2025 Children’s Day activities.
The Special Adviser to the Ogun State Governor and Managing Director of OGWAMA, Farouk Akintunde Adeniyi, commended Rite Foods for the donation and its continued support for environmental management in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Kafayat Lawal, also applauded the initiative, noting the company’s longstanding collaboration with OGWAMA and its support for waste management workers.
The latest intervention follows Rite Foods’ recognition at the 2026 EDGE Awards, where its Managing Director, Seleem Adegunwa, was named Outstanding FMCG Brand Entrepreneur of the Year, while the company received the Outstanding FMCG Corporate Brand of the Year award.
Rite Foods has also expanded its product portfolio with the launch of LIDA Malt, alongside brands including Bigi Carbonated Soft Drinks, Bigi Premium Drinking Water, Sosa Fruit Drink, Fearless Energy Drink, Rite Spicy Beef Sausage, Bigi Beef Sausage and Bigi Flex Sausage.
