L-R, Ejiro Gray, Director of Sustainability and Governance, Sahara Group and Teju Abisoye, Executive Secretary, LSETF at the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding to promote environmental sustainability across 12 local government areas in Lagos state.

Sahara Foundation and Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) have entered into a strategic partnership geared towards rolling out a series of recycling exchange hubs across 12 local government areas in Lagos state.

This project, which is being implemented by Wecyclers, a social enterprise with expertise in recycling, is aimed at promoting responsible environmental stewardship and encouraging the adoption of recycling as a socio-cultural practice to drive desired behavioral change in waste management in the state.

In line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 11 and 17 which speaks to Sustainable Cities and Communities, and Partnerships for the Goals, this tripartite partnership will help promote a sustainable Lagos, create job opportunities, empower host communities, strengthen the economy, increase access to healthcare and improve lives and livelihoods across the state.

Speaking on the partnership, Ejiro Gray, Director, Sustainability and Governance, Sahara Group said; “At Sahara foundation, one of our key pillars is supporting and promoting sustainable societies. With this partnership, we are helping to create viable communities across the state by fostering a sustainable and circular economy through recycling”.

Gray further stated that the roll out of these recycling exchange hubs will help educate people about the benefits of recycling, significantly impact lives and livelihoods in the host communities, and provide members of the communities with the opportunity to capture value from their waste through incentive-based recycling. Gray commended the partners for their commitment to promoting sustainability and supporting a green Lagos.

Also speaking at the event, the Executive Secretary, LSETF, Teju Abisoye, in her remarks, said, “The partnership is strategic to scale waste to wealth creation in Lagos State. She added that the project is dear to LSETF as it is the first primary project of the Fund in the green energy space and a start to creating a million Jobs that is guaranteed to promote a sustainable Lagos for many”. Abisoye stated that LSETF is fully committed to empowering Lagos residents and establishing these recycling exchange hubs will help provide economic opportunities for the host communities.

Also addressing guests at the event, the Chief Operating Officer, Wecyclers, Oluwayemisi Lawal, said ‘’This partnership with Sahara Foundation and The Lagos State Employment Trust Fund is a big leap in our effort in promoting sustainable environments in Nigeria”. Lawal added that she is very positive about the impact this would have in the state and thanked both Sahara Foundation and LSETF for trusting Wecyclers to implement the project.

Sahara Foundation, the corporate social responsibility vehicle for leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, Sahara Group, is committed to improving lives and livelihoods across Africa. Sahara Foundation continues to support projects and invest in partnerships that will help build sustainable societies and promote widespread development across Sahara Group’s host communities.