A climate and environmental sustainability company, Circularity Africa Limited, has embarked on sensitising residents of the Ajegunle community in Ajeromi-Ifelodun Local Council of Lagos on the negative impact of marine waste on lives and property, as well as its effect on aquatic life.

Through its Protego initiative on the prevention of marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea, the firm also acknowledged that waste pollution in low-income communities is not a moral failure but a structural problem linked to poverty, exclusion and lack of access to services.

The event also featured a Community Stakeholders’ Meeting on Protego implementation and the launch of Community Recycling Collection Clusters (C3) in Ajegunle.

The firm provides community recycling services for businesses and also sources raw materials for manufacturing companies.

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of Circularity Africa Limited, Mr Seunfunmi Ogungbure, said the project is a community resilience and empowerment intervention in Ajegunle.

He noted that Ajegunle is one of the most densely populated and economically vulnerable urban communities in Lagos State, with thousands of households struggling daily to meet basic needs such as food, shelter, health and education.

According to him, with multiple survival needs competing for limited household income, waste management becomes unaffordable for many families, making environmental pollution, blocked drainage systems, flooding and unsafe living conditions an unavoidable reality rather than a choice.

“As a coastal community, the waste generated in Ajegunle directly contributes to marine litter in Lagos waterways and the Gulf of Guinea, turning a local survival challenge into a regional environmental crisis.

“This intervention recognises that waste pollution in low-income communities is not a moral failure but a structural problem linked to poverty, exclusion and lack of access to services,” he said.

He noted that Protego is sponsored by the German Ministry of Environment and Nuclear Safety and is aimed at preventing marine litter in the Gulf of Guinea.

“The Protego Project and the Community Collection Clusters (C3) initiative are being implemented in Ajegunle as a community-based social and environmental intervention designed to address waste pollution at the household and community level.

“It is also aimed at reducing marine litter and drainage blockages, improving living conditions in overcrowded neighbourhoods and providing affordable waste solutions for low-income families.

“It further creates community-based economic opportunities and builds local ownership of environmental protection.

“For the past 24 months, we have been engaging our communities and stakeholders. We have been preparing extensively for this day, and so far, so good.

“When it comes to initiatives that involve communities and the grassroots, they are comprehensive and can be cumbersome.

“Another major challenge is funding. Without adequate finance, whether in the form of tools or logistics, it becomes difficult to support innovators and communities in bridging the gap,” he said.

Also speaking, Oluwatosin Ajide, Protego Nigeria Team Lead, said the project offers an opportunity to create wealth, support the community and promote a healthy environment.

She added that it also addresses economic challenges affecting children, caregivers, families and the wider society.

On his part, the Olu of Iwa and Apapa Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Muhammed Moroof Amodu-Tijani Oluwa, noted the multi-ethnic nature of Ajeromi, where people from different parts of the country reside, leading to significant waste generation both on land and in marine areas.

“We have to educate our people on how to manage and sustain the environment for a better life.

“We must sensitise them on keeping the environment clean and not dumping refuse in water bodies, lagoons and other parts of the environment.

“I commend this project because it has been active in the past few years, and I have given it my full cooperation. That is why Ajeromi-Ifelodun is being used as a pilot for this initiative.

“As a royal father, I was once an environmental officer in Lagos State before ascending the throne of my forefathers. I understand the importance of keeping our environment clean to reduce infectious diseases.

“I understand the dynamics of environmental management, and I see it as one of my civic responsibilities to ensure that my environment is clean and that my people are safe,” he added.

The representative of Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, Managing Director of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), and Head of Marine Waste Services for the agency, Mr Olarenwaju Shasore, thanked the organisers for initiating the programme to tackle marine waste due to its impact on lives and property.

He called for collaboration with relevant groups to ensure regular cleaning of waste from the shoreline.

Shasore also advocated extending sensitisation to more communities on proper waste disposal and promoting recycling.
One of the beneficiaries from the community, Mrs Gidadu Disola, commended the organisation for empowering her to support her family.