A non-governmental organisation, TrashUsers Services, has unveiled a technology-enabled scheme that enables Lagos residents to convert recyclable waste into ecocredits for access to healthcare under the Lagos State Health Management Agency’s (LASHMA) Ilera Eko health insurance programme.

Tagged Waste to Wellness, the circular economy initiative allows residents to collect, sort and redeem recyclable materials, with materials valued at about N15,000 qualifying for enrolment in an individual Ilera Eko health insurance package.

Launched in Bariga, Lagos, as part of activities marking World Cleanup Day 2026, the initiative seeks to link improved waste management with healthcare access, particularly for residents in low-income communities.

The programme featured a community clean-up exercise around the market, morning drills and sensitisation, followed by the formal launch of the Waste to Wellness initiative and registration of beneficiaries. It brought together residents, environmental groups and government agencies to demonstrate how recyclable waste could be converted into tangible social and health benefits while promoting cleaner communities.

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TrashUsers Services, Bode Seun, said the initiative was designed to reduce recyclable waste in the environment while providing an alternative pathway to healthcare for residents who may struggle to meet medical expenses.

Seun said the programme was an expansion of the organisation’s previous Waste to Wealth model, under which residents received financial value for recyclable materials.

“Before now, what we have been doing is Waste to Wealth. But now it is Waste to Wellness. So, you can get money back for your waste, but now you are getting healthcare back for it,” he said.

Under the arrangement, residents collect and sort recyclable materials, including plastic, nylon, paper, cartons and cans, and take them to designated collection points operated by TrashUsers.

Seun said 75kg of plastic or nylon qualifies a resident for a single-person Ilera Eko package, while 10kg of cans can also meet the threshold. Different categories of recyclables can be combined and recorded until their total value reaches N15,000.

He said the initiative was developed partly in response to complaints from residents who often cite the cost of healthcare as a reason for delaying treatment.

“When we talk about low-income areas, they complain that they don’t have money, but the money is around them. The plastic, the paper around you is money,” he said.

According to him, once a participant meets the required threshold, TrashUsers notifies LASHMA, which enrols the beneficiary in the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme. The participant is subsequently issued a policy number to access healthcare at accredited public or private hospitals.

Seun said the waste-to-wellness pilot in Bariga would be extended to other low-income communities and local government areas if the model proves successful.

“This is the pilot which we started at Bariga LCDA. We hope that we can transfer this and move to other local governments, especially communities and local governments of low-income areas,” he said.

He added that the long-term plan was to expand the EcoCredit system beyond healthcare, allowing accumulated credits to be redeemed for other goods and services, including purchases at supermarkets.

Seun said increased recycling could also reduce the volume of waste ending up on roads, drainage channels and dumpsites, particularly as Lagos continues to grapple with waste management challenges.

He called for stronger collaboration between government and private operators, saying government alone could not generate the level of public awareness required to change residents’ waste disposal behaviour.

Representative of LASHMA at the event, Gloria Akpan, said the Ilera Eko health insurance scheme was designed to extend healthcare coverage beyond civil servants and formal-sector workers to residents across Lagos.

She said beneficiaries enrolled through the waste to wellness programme would receive policy numbers with which they could access care at accredited government and private hospitals.

According to Akpan, the N15,000 individual package covers services including pharmaceutical and dental care, as well as some surgical procedures, while childbirth is also covered under the scheme.

Also speaking, a representative of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Akinleye Olaide, urged residents to regard recyclable materials as resources rather than ordinary refuse.

Olaide identified behavioural change, provision of waste bins, segregation and proper bagging as critical to improving waste management. He urged residents to separate PET bottles, nylon, cans and cartons for recycling and patronise LAWMA-accredited Private Sector Participation operators rather than informal cart pushers.

The Bariga LCDA representative, Owolabi Josiah, stressed the importance of timely waste collection, saying delays could encourage residents to resort to indiscriminate disposal.

He urged LAWMA’s PSP operators to adhere to their collection schedules to prevent waste accumulation in residential areas.