Hauwa Ali
In the bustling streets of Lagos, Nigeria, where waste management has long been a significant challenge, one woman has found a way to transform trash into treasure. BilikissAdebiyi-Abiola, a tech-savvy entrepreneur, saw an opportunity where many only saw problems. As the founder of Wecyclers, she has built a business that not only addresses the waste crisis in Lagos but also empowers local communities by creating wealth from discarded materials.
Bilikiss’ journey began far from the streets of Lagos. Born in Nigeria, she left for the United States, where she earned degrees from Fisk University and Vanderbilt University before attending the prestigious MIT Sloan School of Management. While at MIT, Bilikiss focused on innovation and entrepreneurship. It was during this time that she started developing the idea for Wecyclers, a recycling business model that would later transform waste management in her home city.
Understanding the unique challenges faced by low-income communities in Lagos, where waste collection services were inadequate, Bilikiss saw an opportunity. She knew that waste, particularly plastics, could be recycled and repurposed, turning it into a valuable commodity. What was needed was a system to collect and process the waste while involving the community in the process.
In 2012, Bilikiss returned to Lagos and launched Wecyclers, a company designed to tackle the city’s growing waste problem while creating opportunities for local residents. Using low-cost cargo bicycles, known as “wecycles,” her team collects recyclables such as plastic bottles, aluminum cans, and paper directly from households in densely populated areas.
Wecyclers operates on a simple yet effective model: families register with the service and receive points based on the amount of recyclable waste they contribute. These points can then be exchanged for various rewards, such as food, household goods, or cash. By incentivizing recycling, Wecyclers has created a system that benefits both the environment and the local population.
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The company’s success lies not only in its innovation but in its community-centric approach. Wecyclers empowers people living in some of Lagos’ poorest neighborhoods by offering them an opportunity to participate in—and profit from—recycling. This has helped create jobs and build a culture of sustainability in areas where waste management was previously neglected.
Since its inception, Wecyclers has collected thousands of tons of recyclable material that would otherwise have clogged the streets or ended up in landfills. The company now works in partnership with government agencies and private organizations to expand its reach and impact. It employs dozens of workers, many of whom come from the very communities Wecyclers serves.
Beyond its environmental benefits, Wecyclers is also creating economic value. By turning waste into a resource, Bilikiss has shown how recycling can be a sustainable business model. Collected materials are sold to recycling plants, where they are transformed into new products, feeding into the circular economy and reducing the demand for virgin raw materials.
BilikissAdebiyi-Abiola’s work with Wecyclers has not gone unnoticed. She has received numerous awards and recognition for her innovation and commitment to social entrepreneurship, including being named a **Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur**. Under her leadership, Wecyclers has become a symbol of hope and progress in Lagos, demonstrating that waste can indeed be turned into wealth.
Today, Wecyclers continues to expand, inspiring other African cities to adopt similar models. Bilikiss’ story serves as a powerful example of how a local solution to a global problem can drive both environmental and economic progress. Through her determination and vision, she has not only improved waste management in Lagos but also transformed the lives of thousands of people who now see value in the materials they once threw away.
In a city where waste was once considered a nuisance, BilikissAdebiyi-Abiola has shown that with the right mindset, even the most unlikely challenges can be turned into opportunities for growth and innovation.
