Lagos trains market women in waste-to-wealth skills

The Lagos State Government, in partnership with the Charitable Network for Community Empowerment, has trained market women in Ikeja on environmental sustainability and waste management.

The initiative was held recently at Computer Village to mark International Women’s Day, focusing on educating traders on proper waste disposal, upcycling, and sustainable agriculture.

Founder of CHANCE, Olajumoke Saliu, said the collaboration aimed to empower women with skills that transform waste into economic opportunities.

“We want to sensitise our fellow women who are market leaders and traders within Ikeja Computer Village on the importance of proper waste management, environmental sustainability, and upcycling,” Saliu remarked.

She explained that the training would help women find creative ways to repurpose waste materials and use them for urban farming.

“Without a healthy environment, we cannot have healthy women who can contribute to the economy. That’s why we are focusing on environmental sustainability as part of gender empowerment,” she added.

Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Climate Change and Circular Economy, Titilayo Oshodi, emphasised the importance of educating women about climate change.

“There is a need for us to establish climate literacy. People must be aware of how their sanitation decisions impact the environment,” Oshodi asserted.

She noted that Computer Village was chosen for the initiative because of its high waste generation.

“We are building an ecosystem of climate-friendly citizens in Lagos. Our goal is to help people transition away from the throwaway culture and embrace circularity,” Oshodi added.

Special Adviser to the Governor on Sustainable Development Goals, Dr. Oreoluwa Finnih, highlighted the state’s policies against environmental degradation.

“Lagos State is committed to circularity and sustainability. Last year, we banned Styrofoam and are now discouraging single-use plastics to keep our environment clean,” Finnih commented.

She warned that unchecked waste disposal would lead to serious environmental consequences.

“If we don’t manage our waste, it ends up in landfills or the ocean. Eventually, we become victims of our own mismanagement,” she added.

Further, the founder of the Foundation for a Better Environment, Temitope Okunnu, urged traders to see waste as a business opportunity.

“Waste is not a waste until you waste it. We need women to understand that their waste is a resource,” Okunnu said.

Okunnu explained that traders would be trained to convert discarded tires into furniture and other marketable products, stating, “We want them to start segregating waste, learning new skills, and earning from it.”

Iyaloja of Computer Village, Abisola Azeez, expressed appreciation to the Lagos State Government and CHANCE for the initiative, saying, “We already separate metal and plastic waste here for a fee, but we didn’t know we could make money from it in other ways. This training will help our traders turn waste into income.”

Azeez assured that the market women would embrace the skills and integrate waste recycling into their businesses.