The Federal Government has urged Nigerian youths to embrace technology and innovation to convert plastic waste into wealth, saying the country’s growing plastic pollution challenge presents enormous opportunities for entrepreneurship, job creation and environmental sustainability.

It said the shift from seeing discarded plastics as waste to treating them as valuable resources would accelerate the country’s transition to a circular economy while creating new livelihoods for young people.

The Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, made the call on Monday at the Digital Peers InternationalDigital Peers International (DPI) Knowledge Management and Lessons Learned event with the theme: “Deploying the Power of IT-Engaged Youths in Effective Plastic Use and Plastic Waste Management,” held in Abuja.

The minister was represented by Senior Scientific Officer in the Ministry’s Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health, Umaru Murtala.

The event followed the project’s closing ceremony held last week in Nasarawa State, where stakeholders advocated stronger policies and stricter enforcement of environmental laws to tackle plastic pollution and promote recycling.

Lawal said the Federal Ministry of Environment had partnered DPI from the inception of the initiative, providing technical support, policy guidance and collaboration throughout the implementation of both phases of the project.

According to him, the initiative has shown that digital technology can equip young Nigerians with practical skills to develop innovative solutions for plastic waste management while opening up new economic opportunities.

“The programme was well conceived because it is youth-based. When we came in, some of these young people were not even tech-savvy, but today many of them are developing applications that can support plastic waste management,” he said.

He noted that one of the project’s major achievements was the development of customised plastic collection receptacles for Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) bottles, which have been donated to institutions, including Nasarawa State University, Keffi, and other organisations to encourage proper plastic collection and recycling.

The minister also said some participants had travelled to China to understudy global best practices in plastic waste management, exposing them to innovative approaches that could be adapted to Nigeria.

Describing the project as consistent with the ministry’s youth-focused environmental programmes, he said the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) had introduced a fresh approach to tackling plastic pollution.

Lawal said the government now views waste materials as economic assets rather than environmental burdens.

“What you call waste is a resource to somebody else. We don’t see anything as waste. We see opportunities and resources,” he said.

He pointed to innovations showcased during the project, including jewellery produced from discarded plastics, noting that some of the products had already been exhibited in China.

According to him, such innovations demonstrate that plastic waste can be transformed into commercially viable products capable of generating income and supporting livelihoods.

“What some people call waste is actually a natural resource waiting to be mined. That is why we now speak of urban miners rather than waste pickers,” he added.

On whether the initiative could be expanded across the country, Lawal said the ministry would review the outcomes of the project and make recommendations to its leadership on possible nationwide implementation.

Also speaking, the chairman of the Board of Trustees of Digital Peers International, Dr Akin Fapohunda, described the knowledge-sharing session as an opportunity to evaluate the project’s achievements and refine strategies for future interventions.

He stressed that knowledge becomes meaningful only when it is translated into practical solutions and successful businesses.

“Every experience has value. The real value lies in making a business idea out of what you have learnt because knowledge on its own has little value unless it is applied,” he said.

Fapohunda also urged participants to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI), describing it as an indispensable tool for learning, innovation and business development.

“We all need to become AI-compliant because AI is now the foundation of almost everything. The world is literally at our fingertips,” he said.

In his remarks, the Project Chairman, Dr Adeolu Odusote, said the completion of the project marked the beginning of a new phase aimed at transforming youth-led innovations into commercially sustainable enterprises.

He said development projects should not merely be measured by activities completed but by their long-term impact and ability to create lasting economic value.

“Our next priority is to ensure these innovations move beyond ideas and prototypes into viable enterprises capable of creating jobs, attracting investment, solving environmental problems and generating measurable economic value,” he said.

Odusote disclosed that the project received 46 innovation concepts from young Nigerians, with the best entries emerging after rigorous technical assessment.

He said DPI would continue supporting the innovators through mentorship, business development services, prototype refinement, investment readiness coaching, enterprise registration, market access and strategic partnerships.

According to him, digital platforms developed under the project, including Green Genius and Eco Trade Hub, have moved beyond the conceptual stage and are already providing practical solutions for communities.

“These platforms are no longer ideas. One is already available on the Play Store, and they will continue serving communities long after the project has ended,” he said.

Odusote said the organisation was also exploring ways of promoting construction materials made from recycled plastics, including paving tiles that could be deployed for roads and other public infrastructure.

According to him, empowering young people with digital technology, innovation and strategic partnerships would help build a cleaner environment, strengthen Nigeria’s circular economy and create sustainable jobs for future generations.