FG launches circular economy Youth initiative in partnership with SAMU Technology and RAN

By Isaac Joseph Inyang

Faced with the dual burden of youth unemployment and worsening environmental degradation, the Federal Government is stirring the waters by launching an initiative that transforms Nigeria’s waste problem into a launchpad for youth-led innovation.

The Circular Economy Youth Capacity Building Initiative (CEYI), unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Youth Development in collaboration with SAMU Technology Limited and the Recyclers Association of Nigeria (RAN), is a climate-responsive, skills-focused programme targeting millions of young Nigerians particularly those in the informal sector.

Inaugurating the planning committee for the project in Abuja, the Honourable Minister of Youth Development, Comrade Ayodele Olawande, described CEYI as a deliberate intervention to empower youth with the tools and knowledge to convert waste into useful products, energy, and income.

“This initiative will train millions of young Nigerians in waste management, recycling, and green entrepreneurship,” Olawande stated. “Our aim is to position young people at the heart of climate solutions while opening up real economic opportunities across the country.”

Anchored on two major pillars “Waste-to-Wealth and Waste-to-Energy” this initiative is designed to reduce Nigeria’s growing waste burden while nurturing a generation of environmentally conscious entrepreneurs.

The Minister emphasized that the programme reflects a new model of development where collaboration, not isolation, fuels national transformation. “We’re proud to be working with SAMU Technology, RAN, and other partners to drive this initiative. It’s time to rethink waste not as a problem, but as a platform for innovation.”

Backing the federal push, Mr. Suleiman Sani Musa, CEO and Co-founder of SAMU Technology Limited, noted that CEYI offers a “powerful response” to three interconnected issues: youth unemployment, climate vulnerability, and economic exclusion.

“SAMU Technology is proud to support this transformative initiative through funding, public awareness, and partnerships,” Musa said. “With CEYI, we’re not just training youth, we’re creating a green economy from the grassroots up.”

As one of the technical stakeholders, RAN is expected to bring in recycling industry expertise to ensure the programme’s outputs translate into practical, income-generating ventures for the beneficiaries.

The CEYI launch signals more than a government programme; it marks a policy direction where Nigeria’s future is seen not in quick fixes, but in long-term, sustainable investments led by its youth.