Lagos Circular Hotspot 2023: Leading the way in circular economy in Sub-Saharan Africa
August 07, 2023
On July 26th and 27th, in Lagos, Nigeria made history by launching the first Circular Economy Hotspot in Africa and outside Europe. Held at Lagos Continental Hotel, Victoria Island, the event themed ‘Towards a Circular and Resourceful Economy: The Future of Lagos’ and emphasised the importance of transforming the current production system towards regeneration and sustainability.
Find out more about this landmark initiative and partnership at Lagos Circular Hotspot 2023.
“The Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 will create more jobs, because additional innovative production ideas will be needed and extra manpower required to keep materials in the loop for a long time”
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu
Lagos sets an example in cicular economy and fostering collaboration
The Lagos State government’s adoption of an innovative and sustainable consumption model signifies a proactive approach to safeguarding future generations from resource scarcity and promoting an economy based on production, repair, and recycling. Sanwo-Olu said the idea was critical to the future of Nigeria, noting that a circular economy would proffer a programmatic approach to addressing global economic crises occasioned by pollution, climate change and loss of biodiversity.
The consul general of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Michel Deelen, represented by Deputy Consul General Leonie Van der Stijl, praised Lagos for being the first sub-national entity to undertake such a progressive project and highlighted the urgency of transitioning from a linear model to a circular one:
“It makes sense to replace the current linear model of grab, use and dump to a circular model of feeding recycled materials back into the system. The Netherlands is willing to provide the knowledge and capacity needed to build the circular economic model.”
During the two-day event, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was announced between the Lagos State Government and Holland Circular Hotspot, focusing on technical cooperation and knowledge exchange. Luca Polidori, Secretary & Program Manager CE-Hubs at Holland Circular Hotspot, eloquently expressed the shared mission, stating:
“In embracing the Circular Economy, we unite as nations, transcending borders to build sustainable futures without establishing unnecessary dependencies, forging a shared path towards prosperity.”
Lagos’ journey towards a circular economy – showcasing Innovations
Sanwo-Olu disclosed that the State’s journey to a circular economy began three years ago when Lagos brought stakeholders together on a roundtable to discuss options towards a resourceful and waste-free economy. He said a technical working group on “Circular Lagos” was set up in 2020 to coordinate and facilitate the development of the initiative while supporting and monitoring project implementation.
Following extensive engagement with stakeholders in the circular economy ecosystem, the Circular Business Platform Lagos (CBPL) was officially launched on October 5, 2021. The Embassy of The Netherlands and Holland Circular Hotspot partnered to offer knowledge and capacity-building support to the Lagos Circular Business Platform. This platform represents the initial step in transitioning from a linear to a circular economy in Nigeria, with Lagos State serving as the pioneering model.
Lagos showcases:
During the event, exhibition booths featured local circular entrepreneurs, including Planet3r and Brickify. Planet3r, founded by Adejoke Lasisi, has ingeniously transformed discarded pure water sachets into fashionable items.
Meanwhile, Brickify, founded by Oluwamayowa Salu, designed a unique system for constructing sustainable and economical buildings using various types of plastic waste. These remarkable innovations embody the true essence of the circular economy in action.
Ethiopia to host Circular Economy Hotspot 2025!
Ethiopia has been chosen as the host country for the African continent’s Circular Economy Hotspot Event 2025. The decision was unanimous and made by an international jury comprising representatives from Holland Circular Hotspot (HCH), Catalonia, Bottrop City, South Africa, Chile, and Lagos.
Ethiopia’s proposal, driven by a compelling vision and a strong commitment to circular economy principles, impressed the jury, showcasing active involvement from both public and private stakeholders.
Ethiopia will proudly exhibit its remarkable progress and achievements in implementing circular economy principles as the host country. The nation is preparing to host various events in various cities nationwide, providing a global platform for leaders, experts, and innovators to collaborate, share best practices, and contribute to a sustainable future.
