U-Recycle Initiative Africa, one of Africa’s largest youth-led environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs), has relaunched the #iAmPlasticWize Challenge, a pioneering gamified web application in Nigeria aimed at empowering university students with the knowledge and skills to develop innovative solutions to plastic pollution.

The relaunch comes amid growing concerns over the global plastic waste crisis. More than 400 million tonnes of plastic are produced worldwide every year, yet less than 10 per cent is successfully recycled. This imbalance has made plastic pollution one of the fastest-growing environmental threats globally, especially in rapidly urbanising regions and within educational institutions where single-use plastics remain widely used.

The PlasticWize initiative, developed by U-Recycle Initiative Africa, has been supporting universities in their transition toward plastic-free campuses built on circular economy principles since the programme was introduced.

Under the newly launched PlasticWize 2.0, the organisation is expanding its impact by implementing a range of social innovation initiatives across four Nigerian universities.

The programme is designed to equip students and higher education institutions with practical tools to adopt environmentally responsible practices while reducing excessive plastic waste generated on campuses.

PlasticWize 2.0 also seeks to encourage behavioural change among students and stakeholders, address policy gaps contributing to plastic pollution, promote circular economy solutions, and prevent tonnes of plastic waste from ending up in landfills, streets, and oceans.

By combining technology with gamification, the initiative aims to inspire greater youth participation in environmental sustainability while strengthening campus-led efforts to tackle plastic pollution across Nigeria

Source: This Day