U-Recycle Initiative Africa, a leading youth-led environmental non-governmental organisation (NGO) based in Nigeria, has launched the second edition of its flagship fellowship initiative, PlasticWize 2.0, aimed at addressing plastic pollution in Nigerian universities.

The group said the initiative seeks to empower student leaders and lecturers to implement both behavioural and systemic changes on their campuses to combat plastic waste.

In a statement, the group’s Director of Communications, Timilehin Abioye, said the group is committed to promoting environmental education, advancing a circular economy, and driving climate action across Africa.

First launched in 2022 under the theme “Redefining Sustainable Campuses”, the PlasticWize Fellowship is supported by the Global Environment Facility (GEF). The inaugural edition reached over 2,000 students from 100 universities through innovation workshops, training for young women, the installation of “talking bins” to promote waste reduction, gamified learning platforms, and research expeditions across Nigeria.

In 2024, PlasticWize 2.0 is intensifying its focus on fostering long-term change. Eight fellows have been selected from four Nigerian universities: Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), University of Benin (UNIBEN), Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), and University of Lagos (UNILAG).

Each university is represented by two fellows, supported by four distinguished lecturers serving as campus advisors. These advisors provide mentorship and institutional backing to help ensure the success of fellows’ campus-based sustainability projects.

The programme officially began with a four-day Campus Leaders Training held in Abuja from December 11 to 14, 2024. More than 18 experts led over 20 sessions covering a wide range of topics, including the circular economy, sustainable waste management, project execution, and grant writing.

Reacting to the programme, Dr. Olaoluwa Ogunkunle, a lecturer from OAU, commended the organisers for the campus leaders training programme.

He said: “This is one of the best programmes I’ve attended in recent times, considering the age range of the participants and the expected outcomes of the training.”

Also speaking, a student at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH), Adeyemo Fathiat, revealed that as a health practitioner in the making, she has always wanted to learn more about the issue of plastic pollution.

She said: “The Campus Leaders Training swept me off my feet, and I have learnt more than I expected.”

In her remarks at the induction ceremony, Oluwaseyi Jesuton, Executive Director of U-recycle Initiative Africa, expressed the sincere gratitude of her organisation to all of the fellows, campus advisors, partners, speakers, and stakeholders who helped make the campus leaders’ training a success.

One of the workshop participants and a business owner at UNIBEN, Mr. Princewill Nwosa, said that the session reinforced his commitment to proper waste disposal.

He said, “I am beginning to see the possibility of using innovative ways of encouraging students to do away with the use of single-use plastics.

“As an organisation committed to advancing youth-led innovation to tackle plastic pollution, U-recycle Initiative Africa has outlined a series of ambitious plans- through the PlasticWize fellowship 2.0 beginning now up until 2026- geared towards reshaping the realities of plastic pollution in Africa.”