2026 OMAL: APWEN Urges Investment in Scalable Waste-to-Wealth Technologies Across Africa

Funmi Ogundare 

The Founder and Chief Executive Officer of MitiMeth, Achenyo Idachaba-Obaro, yesterday, called for investments in improved production systems capable of preserving cultural heritage while modernising Africa’s craft and circular economy industries.

Idachaba-Obaro made this call at the 2026 Olutunmbi Joana Maduka Annual Lecture (OMAL) and 85th birthday celebration, organised by Association of Professional Women Engineers of Nigeria (APWEN), in Lagos.

Speaking on the theme, ‘Waste to Wealth Revolution: Women Leading Africa’s Sustainable Enterprises’, she stressed the urgent need for engineering innovation and scalable technologies to support the continent’s growing waste-to-wealth sector, particularly initiatives being led by women.

According to her, “traditional weaving and processing tools currently used by many local producers are inadequate for industrial-scale production, limiting the ability of enterprises to meet increasing market demand.”

Citing examples from her work transforming invasive water hyacinth into reusable materials, she explained that many of the existing tools are manually operated and too slow for large-scale manufacturing, adding,” Africa’s craft and production technologies had not evolved quickly enough to support the growing circular economy movement despite the abundance of raw materials and innovative ideas across the continent.

Idachaba-Obaro who is a board member of the Fibral Material Alliance, said there was strong observable evidence that women are leading community-centred enterprises focused on sustainability, environmental restoration and local economic development across Africa.

Citing examples from different regions, she referenced women entrepreneurs converting plastic waste into textiles, transforming discarded timber into educational furniture, and producing biochar and soil enhancement products from agricultural residue.

Speaking on Nigeria’s role in the circular economy space, Idachaba-Obaro pointed to local initiatives transforming plastic waste into pellets, baskets and household products, as well as projects converting water hyacinth from Lagos waterways into textiles and specialty paper.

“Africa’s problems and challenges can be solved by Africans themselves, and women are at the core of solving these problems,” she said.

According to her, many of the enterprises share common features such as local sourcing, women’s employment, community integration and environmental restoration.

She described Africa’s circular economy movement as not only an environmental effort, but also an industrial, gender, design and community development story.

The MitiMeth founder further urged engineers, particularly women , to contribute to the development of machinery, biomaterial processing systems, renewable energy solutions and scalable production technologies tailored to African realities.

She maintained that scaling locally-driven innovations would help move circular economy solutions from small community projects into mainstream industrial production across the continent.

In his remarks, the President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers (NSE), Alimasuya Alli Rabiu, called for greater inclusion of women engineers and stronger investment in waste-to-wealth innovations as a pathway to sustainable economic growth and environmental transformation in Africa.

Represented by a former President of APWEN, Valerie Agberagba , he described the theme as timely and visionary, saying that Nigeria’s growing environmental challenges have made it imperative for engineers to drive innovative solutions capable of transforming waste into wealth, while also creating jobs and supporting economic diversification.

He commended APWEN for sustaining the lecture platform, noting that it had continued to shape ideas, nurture talent and contribute to policy direction critical to national development.

“As the flagship platform in our profession, it is gratifying to witness the steady growth of the lecture series and its increasing impact on engineering practice and national development,” he said.

Rabiu also commended women engineers for their contributions to the profession, particularly emphasising the achievements of pioneering female engineers who have broken barriers within the engineering sector.

He also paid glowing tribute to Maduka,  a distinguished female engineer whom he described as a trailblazer of state proportion, noting that she became the first female Vice President of the Nigerian Society of Engineers and founding President of APWEN.

The president said her legacy of excellence, courage and visionary leadership had continued to inspire generations of engineers across the country.

He further cited examples of innovative waste recycling initiatives led by female engineers, including the production of modular pavement systems and shoes from recycled plastic materials through material science and sustainable engineering practices.

According to him, such initiatives have demonstrated how environmental challenges can be converted into economic opportunities and functional designs that benefit society.

Rabiu reaffirmed the commitment of the NSE to promoting sustainable engineering solutions powered by inclusive participation, stressing that women must remain at the forefront of innovation and development across Africa.

“We believe that sustainable engineering solutions, powered by inclusive participation, are central to achieving economic diversification,” he stated.

Earlier in her remarks, the President of APWEN,  Chinyere Nnenna Igwegbe,  urged women engineers across Africa to lead the continent’s transition to sustainable enterprises by transforming waste into wealth through innovation, green manufacturing and circular economy initiatives.

She stated that  women engineers were increasingly turning environmental challenges into economic opportunities across the continent.

According to her, Africa generates millions of tonnes of waste annually, ranging from agricultural residue and plastics to electronic and organic waste, but women engineers are already pioneering innovative solutions to convert them into useful products and profitable ventures.

“Across this continent, women are turning discarded bottles into building materials, cassava peels into bioplastics, and landfill gas into electricity,” she said.

She emphasised on the work of Idachaba-Obaro, whose innovations with water hyacinth have transformed the invasive plant into products that support commerce, craft and climate action.

Igwegbe stressed that the waste-to-wealth movement was not merely about environmental sanitation, but about positioning women at the forefront of green enterprise and sustainable industrialisation.

“This revolution is not about cleaning up after others. It is about women taking the lead in circular economies, green manufacturing, and sustainable enterprise,” she stated.

The APWEN president reaffirmed the association’s commitment to equipping female engineers with technical and entrepreneurial skills needed to convert waste streams into wealth streams.

“We will not wait for permission. We will engineer the change,” she said

She also paid glowing tribute to Maduka, describing her as a trailblazer whose contributions laid the foundation for women’s advancement in engineering in Nigeria.

In her response, the celebrant, Olutunmbi Joanna Maduka, expressed appreciation to members of the association for their unwavering support over the years, describing APWEN’s growth as a remarkable journey and noting that the organisation had continued to thrive and make significant progress.