Maimouna Seck

A Senegalese environmental entrepreneur leading sustainable waste management initiatives in West Africa.

Maimouna Seck is a visionary environmentalist and entrepreneur from Senegal who has pioneered innovative approaches to waste management and plastic recycling in West Africa. Born in Dakar in 1985, Seck witnessed firsthand the devastating impact of plastic pollution on her community and the Atlantic Ocean. Her journey began in 2010 while studying environmental engineering at Cheikh Anta Diop University, where she conducted research on marine debris and its ecological consequences.

In 2015, she founded Waste2Value Africa, a social enterprise that transforms discarded plastics into building materials and fuel. The company employs over 200 people in Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, 70% of whom are women from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. By partnering with local governments and NGOs, Waste2Value has diverted 15 million kilograms of plastic from landfills and oceans since its inception.

Seck's work aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 12 (Responsible Consumption) and Goal 14 (Life Below Water). In 2019, she was honored as a Earthshot Prize Finalist, and in 2021 received the UNEP Young Champions of the Earth Award. Her TED Talk "Turning Trash into Treasure in West Africa" has been viewed over 1.2 million times.

Beyond her business ventures, Seck co-founded WestAfRecycles, a regional network connecting waste collectors, policymakers, and private sector partners. She advocates for extended producer responsibility policies, successfully influencing Senegal's 2020 ban on single-use plastics. Her approach combines technology—using AI-powered sorting systems—with community education programs that teach upcycling techniques to youth.

Seck's impact extends globally through partnerships with organizations like Greenpeace and World Economic Forum. She recently launched The West African Ocean Plastic Fund, a $50 million initiative backed by the African Development Bank. This fund aims to create 50,000 green jobs and reduce marine plastic pollution by 40% across 15 coastal nations by 2030.

Her leadership has inspired a new generation of African environmental entrepreneurs. Notable protégés include Ghana's Plastic Bank affiliate networks and Nigeria's WasteAid Africa initiatives. Seck continues to advocate for circular economy models that empower communities while protecting ecosystems, proving that environmental sustainability and economic development can thrive together in the Global South.