Plastic waste has long been seen as an environmental burden, clogging drains, polluting communities, and threatening ecosystems. But a powerful shift is happening. Across Nigeria, innovators are proving that plastic waste isn’t just trash — it’s an opportunity.
In this episode of the Youth Empowered Podcast, recycling leaders Omoh Alakwe, Founder, Streetwaste Recycling and Victor Okunola, Co-founder, Recycle Edge, unpack how circular economy thinking is transforming waste into value, jobs, and community impact.
FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEM TO ECONOMIC RESOURCE
For Omoh, her journey started with the difficulties her community faced in finding effective ways to manage and dispose of plastic waste.
What started as a local frustration evolved into a sustainability-driven business model focused on awareness, collection, and community engagement. Her work shows how environmental challenges can inspire scalable entrepreneurial solutions.
Victor explains the economic shift driving this change. Plastic waste, once undervalued, now holds measurable financial worth, attracting investment and enabling structured collection systems. Recycling has become a gateway to entrepreneurship, offering young people practical entry points into a growing industry.
THE CIRCULAR ECONOMY IN ACTION
At the heart of this transformation is circular thinking, designing systems that recover, reuse, and repurpose materials rather than discard them. From collection hotspots to reverse vending machines and innovative sorting technology, recycling operations are becoming smarter and more efficient.
Beyond collection, recycled plastics fuel manufacturing processes that produce everyday household items, reinforcing the idea that sustainability can drive industrial growth.
CHALLENGES, INNOVATION, AND OPPORTUNITY
The recycling ecosystem isn’t without hurdles. Behavioural change, logistics, funding, and infrastructure remain ongoing challenges. Yet these same gaps present opportunities for innovation — from aggregation networks to technology-driven solutions.
Both guests emphasise the importance of finding a niche and starting small. Whether through community collection, logistics support, or product innovation, young entrepreneurs can plug into the value chain immediately.
TURNING WASTE INTO TREASURE
The episode closes with a simple but powerful message: sustainability can pay off — financially and socially. Plastic waste, once ignored, is becoming Nigeria’s “new gold,” offering pathways to income, environmental stewardship, and youth empowerment.
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