Article Summary
- April 22 is Earth Day and this year’s theme is Invest in our Planet
- There are entrepreneurs whose companies are investing in preserving Nigeria’s environment. This article names a few of them.
- Environmental sustainability can be achieved if attention is given to the circular economy.
Today is Earth Day! It’s been 53 years of celebrating the earth and this year’s theme is Invest in our Planet.
Nigeria has significant potential for environmental sustainability. The country is blessed with a diverse range of natural resources, including fertile agricultural land, forests, minerals, and a large coastline with vast marine resources.
However, Nigeria also faces numerous environmental challenges, including deforestation, desertification, soil erosion, pollution, and climate change. These challenges have significant implications for the country’s social, economic, and environmental development.
However, some environmental advocates are working to ensure Nigeria is set on a path to environmental sustainability. Some of these advocates in Nigeria include:
Dozie Igweilo, Founder of QuadLoop
Dozie Igweilo has interests in renewable energy, consumer electronics, the circular economy, and sustainability. He founded QuadLoop in 2016. QuadLoop is a clean tech company that leverages electronic waste to develop solar lanterns and solar home systems designed and produced with a lower environmental impact.
QuadLoop utilizes electronic waste to build these solar products with a lower environmental impact. Quadloop’s flagship product is “IDunnu”, a portable lantern made from 70% e-waste material. The product has been recognized by both local and international media and has been spotlighted as part of the 10 startups to receive the 2023 Netexplo Innovation Award in France.
Olufunto Boroffice, Founder of Chanja Datti
Olufunto Boroffice has interests in the circular economy, waste management and environmental sustainability. She founded Chanja Datti in 2015.
Chanja Datti is one of Nigeria’s leading waste collection and recycling social enterprises and the first in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory. Chanja Datti has grown have a client base of 30+ organizations and has expanded to 3 locations in Nigeria and 5 recycling hubs.
With an eye towards continued growth, expansion, and job creation, Chanja Datti continues to seek and build strategic partnerships for the collection and procurement of Nigeria’s recyclable materials both locally and internationally.
Babatunde Adebayo, Co-founder of Eco-Circular Solutions Provider
Babatunde Adebayo has interests in the circular economy and green solutions. He co-founded Eco Circular Solutions Provider Limited in 2020. Eco-Circular Solutions Provider is a social enterprise, circular economy and values creation startup with a proven track record of climate mitigation and resilience; saving over 1 million trees (aged 10-15 years) from being felled for virgin production of ceiling tiles through her innovation of paper wastes into building and construction materials.
Bilikiss Adebiyi-Abiola, Co-founder and CEO of Wecyclers Corporation
Bilikiss Adebayo-Abiola has interests in recycling and social enterprise. She co-founded Wecyclers in 2012. Wecyclers operates a low-cost recyclable waste management infrastructure that uses technology to raise general awareness on the importance of recycling for environmental sustainability and social welfare gained from the reduction in pollution and diseases like malaria. Wecyclers is building a low-cost waste management infrastructure using mobile tech and cargo bikes and providing incentives for people to embrace the environmentally friendly habit of recycling their waste.
Mariam Lawani, Founder/CEO of Greenhill Recycling
Mariam Lawani has interests in recycling, the environment, and the circular economy. Greenhill Recycling is a social enterprise born out of the urgent need to address the growing pollution crisis across the African continent.
Leveraging technology, the company provides a platform where people, especially those in indigent communities, can capture value from waste generated in their environments, to live healthier, longer lives. Greenhill Recycling offers a convenient, reward-for-recycling service that recovers post-consumer and post- industrial waste from the source of generation into recycling value chains, preventing them from getting to dumpsites.
