Bilikiss Abiola

Nigerian entrepreneur who modernized Lagos' waste collection system using tech-driven solutions and green advocacy.

Bilikiss Abiola redefined waste management in Nigeria’s chaotic megacity, Lagos. After studying at MIT, she launched Wecyclers in 2012—a bicycle-based recycling initiative that incentivizes low-income households to exchange trash for goods. Using SMS technology, communities request pickups, and Wecyclers’ fleet collects recyclables, later sold to manufacturers.

Abiola’s model addressed dual crises: Lagos generated 10,000+ tons of waste daily, yet unemployment hovered at 23%. Wecyclers created jobs for youth while diverting 40% of collected waste from dumps. By 2020, the company operated 50+ bikes and trucks, serving 30,000 households monthly.

Her work earned her a Rolex Award for Enterprise and features in Forbes Africa. Despite political challenges (her father, MKO Abiola, was a democracy martyr), Bilikiss focused on scalable sustainability. She later became Director-General of Lagos’ Parks Agency, expanding green spaces in one of the world’s densest cities.