Harness waste-to-wealth opportunities, stakeholders tell youths

STAKEHOLDERS in the environment sector have urged youths to harness waste-to-wealth opportunities, particularly in plastic waste management, to drive economic growth and address environmental challenges.

The call was made during a tour of the Gosa Dumpsite in Idu Industrial Layout and the Chanja Datti Recycling Plant in Giri, Abuja, organised by Digital Peers International (DPI) under its DPI-SGP 2.0 Project.

Speaking during the tour, the National Coordinator of the UNDP-GEF Small Grants Programme, Ibironke Olubamise, described plastic pollution as a major global environmental challenge with significant health and community impacts.
She said ongoing interventions had begun to reduce the volume of plastic waste transported to dumpsites over the past three to four years, attributing the progress to sustained sensitisation campaigns and project activities.

Olubamise noted that the project focuses on upstream solutions that promote alternatives to plastics, including biodegradable materials derived from natural sources such as leaves and trees.

According to her, stakeholders have identified several economic opportunities within the sector, including the production of paving stones, furniture, jewellery and other recyclable products from plastic waste.

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She, however, raised concerns over health risks associated with the expansion of dumpsites and the growing number of residential buildings around such areas, as well as the safety of informal waste pickers.

Also speaking, the Supervisor of Gosa Dumpsite at the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, Buka Muhammed, said the facility had evolved through phased development and partnerships, with plans to expand into energy recovery and healthcare waste management.

He noted that waste inflow to the dumpsite had declined in recent years, reflecting the impact of environmental interventions and waste reduction initiatives.

In her remarks, the National Coordinator of DPI, Ibukun Odusote, said the tour was designed to expose participants to waste management systems and emerging opportunities within the sector.

Odusote said while plastic waste remained dominant, there was increasing potential in organic waste, urging youths to explore innovative ideas in waste-to-energy and recycling.

“We wanted young people to see the opportunities that exist beyond plastic waste and begin to think about solutions that can create value from what is often discarded,” she said.

She also highlighted the importance of data management in improving planning and policy implementation in the waste management sector.

On his part, the Founder of Triple R Recycling Limited, Abdullahi Suleiman-Ezhin, said his initiative was inspired by the impact of plastic waste on flooding caused by blocked drainage systems.

He said his company converts plastic waste into interlocking paving stones and other products, while encouraging community participation in waste collection.

Suleiman-Ezhin called for stronger government support to scale up recycling innovations, noting that such efforts could address environmental and infrastructure challenges.

Other stakeholders emphasised the role of behavioural change and digital tools in promoting proper waste management practices, especially among young people.

They called for sustained collaboration among government, development partners and the private sector to reduce plastic pollution, unlock economic opportunities and protect public health.