Absence of Framework Limiting Waste-to-Wealth Potential, Says Expert
Omolabake Fasogbon
A French designer and circular-economy advocate, Marjory Houlbert, has said Nigeria has the capacity to transform waste into wealth, stimulate industrialisation and unlock thousands of jobs, if a more coordinated approach to circular innovation is adopted.
Speaking at a conference with the theme, “From Makers to Markets: Building Circular Innovation” hosted by the Economic Department of the Embassy of France in Nigeria, Houlbert said Lagos possesses all components needed to build a thriving recycling-based manufacturing ecosystem, such as abundant waste, active recyclers and a growing network of innovators and designers.
She noted, however, that the system lacks basic structured system required to convert the resources into market-ready, scalable products.
Drawing on her experience at French fablabs, Houlbert, argued that Lagos urgently needs a dedicated fablab model where recyclers, designers and fabricators collaborate to process waste, especially plastic, into usable raw materials and finished products.
“Recycled plastic is actually cheaper than virgin plastic in Nigeria, which is the opposite of what we see in Europe. That’s an untapped industrial advantage. A Lagos-based fablab model could transform the recycling ecosystem by creating jobs, expanding local manufacturing, and improving environmental outcomes.
“Lagos generates more than 13,500 tonnes of waste every day, and a significant share of that—LDPE, PP, PET and HDPE is fully recyclable. These materials can be turned into high-value products such as interior panels, furniture and common household items,” she added.
She thus proposed a Lagos fablab ecosystem integrating recyclers, existing facilities, digital fabrication tools and a dedicated fab-manager to coordinate production and scale operations.
Such an ecosystem, she argued, could allow Lagos makers transform both plastic and organic waste into objects, textiles, and new materials; create local jobs, stimulate the creative industry and strengthen the city’s circular economy.
On funding, Houlbert said the required investment is far less than assumed, noting that governments typically provide equipment support, while entrepreneurs leverage grants and community financing to develop market-ready products.
The event brought together designers, engineers, entrepreneurs and sustainability advocates as well as featured participation of the French Tech Lagos community, reinforcing rising Franco–Nigerian collaboration in sustainable design, circularity and digital fabrication.
