Nigeria must prepare for a future without plastics while embracing innovation to confront a growing waste crisis threatening public health and the environment, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has said.
The call came as some young Nigerian climate-tech entrepreneurs and student innovators showcased artificial intelligence-powered waste management solutions designed to transform the country’s approach to waste collection, recycling and resource recovery.
At a plastic waste solutions programme held over the weekend in Abuja, the national coordinator of the UNDP Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme, Ibironke Olubamise, urged government, businesses, and citizens to accelerate efforts to reduce dependence on plastics while supporting practical solutions to manage existing waste.
She stressed that although plastics remain deeply embedded in modern life, Nigeria must begin charting a pathway towards alternatives while tackling the mounting environmental consequences of plastic pollution.
Olubamise said, “You may want to think about upstream solutions that can reduce plastic production, as well as downstream solutions that address what happens after plastics are produced.”
She told the participants that “plastic is still part of almost every aspect of our lives globally, but we must continue searching for sustainable solutions.”
The UNDP coordinator’s remarks came amid growing concerns about Nigeria’s waste management challenges, driven by rapid urbanisation, population growth, and inadequate recycling infrastructure.
Yet amid the challenges, a new generation of innovators is emerging with technology-driven answers.
At the innovation challenge, young entrepreneurs unveiled AI-enabled systems capable of identifying, sorting and monitoring waste streams, improving collection efficiency and boosting recycling rates. The solutions leverage data analytics and machine learning to reduce waste pollution and convert discarded materials into economic opportunities.
The innovations reflect a growing movement among Nigerian youths to combine technology, entrepreneurship, and sustainability to address some of the country’s most pressing environmental problems.
The head of MORE by Meristem, Imaobong Asemah, said supporting young innovators is critical to building sustainable businesses capable of delivering real-world impact.
Asemah said, “Our goal at MORE is to support entrepreneurs who are solving real problems and help them build sustainable and scalable business models.”
She stated that the emergence of AI-powered environmental solutions comes as youth-focused innovation programmes across the country increasingly encourage entrepreneurs to develop climate-smart technologies in areas such as waste management, renewable energy and green enterprise.
