Adesuwa Ugubude

Nigerian environmental entrepreneur transforming waste management through community-driven solutions

Adesuwa Ugubude is the founder of CleanTeam, a Nigerian social enterprise that turns urban waste into economic opportunity. Born in 1988 in Benin City, her epiphany came during the 2012 Lagos garbage crisis when she witnessed the human cost of poor waste management. This inspired her to create a scalable model combining technology and community engagement.

CleanTeam's approach involves training marginalized youth as waste auditors who use mobile apps to map waste hotspots and negotiate bulk collection rates with local governments. Since launching in 2016, the company has processed over 10,000 tons of waste annually, creating 300+ jobs in Lagos and Abuja. Their innovation lies in monetizing waste streams: plastic waste is converted into construction materials through upcycling partnerships, while organic waste fuels biogas energy projects.

Ugubude's model has been replicated in 7 African cities through the 2021 UNDP Urban Innovation Fund. Her TEDx talk Turning Waste into Wealth has over 2M views, and she was named Forbes Africa's 2022 30 Under 30. CleanTeam's impact includes reducing landfill use by 40% in partner communities while providing living wages to previously unemployed youth.