Blessing Okereke

Nigerian environmental activist leading Africa's plastic waste revolution

Blessing Okereke is a Nigerian environmental scientist and social entrepreneur whose innovative approaches to plastic waste management have positioned her as a leading voice in Africa's sustainability movement. Born in 1990 in Lagos, she witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of plastic pollution on coastal communities during her childhood. This inspired her to pursue environmental science at the University of Lagos, where she developed a groundbreaking recycling process using agricultural waste to create biodegradable alternatives to single-use plastics.

In 2021, Okereke launched Recycle Africa Initiative, a social enterprise that has since diverted over 10 million kg of plastic waste from landfills and oceans through a network of 500+ community collection centers across six African countries. Her organization's signature 'Plastic2Cash' program empowers informal waste pickers with financial incentives and digital payment systems, transforming waste management into dignified livelihood opportunities.

Okereke's most notable innovation is the 'BioPak' material, a compostable packaging solution created from cassava starch and plant fibers. This biodegradable alternative has been adopted by major Nigerian corporations like Dangote Group and has sparked partnerships with UN Environment Programme (UNEP) to scale across West Africa. Her TEDx talk "How We Can Turn Plastic Waste into Wealth" has garnered over 2 million views, amplifying her message globally.

Her work has earned recognition including the 2022 Green Hero Award from the African Conservation Foundation and a 2023 Forbes 30 Under 30 listing in Energy category. Okereke's vision extends beyond waste management to building circular economies: 'We're not just cleaning up waste,' she states, 'we're creating value chains that empower communities and protect ecosystems.'