SDG 9: Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure | SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
Institution: Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change
Through the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO)-led Global Cleantech Innovation Programme (GCIP), funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF), UNIDO has supported Ecobarter, a waste-to-value digital startup in Nigeria that enables citizens to recycle via mobile apps, websites, and reverse vending machines (RVMs). Users earn redeemable points for each kilogram of recyclables submitted—transforming waste into currency.
UNIDO became Ecobarter’s first institutional customer by deploying 25 RVMs at strategic locations, including the UN House and Nigeria’s National Assembly, under the Nigeria Plastics Circular Economy Project (funded by Japan). The initiative also facilitated critical partnerships with local stakeholders such as the Abuja Environmental Protection Board, bolstering innovation and waste recovery infrastructure.
Relevant question for policy stakeholders: How can digital platforms like Ecobarter, supported by international agencies, be scaled, including through regulatory incentives, investment pipelines, and public–private alliances to institutionalize circular economy solutions in urban and rural Indian contexts?
Follow the full news here:
https://www.unido.org/stories/trash-transformation-changing-face-circular-innovation