By JKNewsMedia
PLASTIC WASTE remains a persistent threat to Nigeria’s coastlines, but targeted action by Sterling One Foundation is helping communities turn the tide.
Through its national Beach Adoption Programme, the non-profit has led cleanups at six major coastal sites since 2021, clearing over 9,000 kilograms of waste—more than half of which has been recycled.
The initiative is more than an environmental gesture. At Elegushi Beach earlier this year, the Foundation mobilised volunteers, forged local partnerships, and embedded community ownership into long-term stewardship plans. From Alpha to Okun Ajah, the programme continues to draw support from grassroots leaders, uniting awareness with sustainable practice.
“Our work on the beaches is not symbolic,” said Olapeju Ibekwe, Chief Executive Officer of Sterling One Foundation.
“It is a deliberate strategy to improve coastal resilience, protect vulnerable populations, and link sustainability with real opportunity. Every cleanup is a chance to restore dignity to the environment and build trust in the systems meant to protect it.”
The organisation said it will further its impact agenda at WEDex 2025 on 13 June.
Hosted at the UN House in Abuja by GreenHub Africa and the United Nations, the convening marks World Environment Day by spotlighting bold action.
Sterling One Foundation also said it will address the “Financing Youth Initiatives for Green Entrepreneurship” session, exploring how capital can unlock local solutions to the plastic menace.
The United Nations, a key partner in WEDex, will also co-convene the Africa Social Impact Summit on 10 and 11 July in Lagos, with Sterling One Foundation playing a leading role.
Themed Scaling Action: Bold Solutions for Climate Resilience and Policy Innovation, the summit aims to bridge gaps between investment and grassroots environmental solutions.
“Plastic pollution is a development issue but also an untapped opportunity,” Ibekwe added. “If we do not treat it as urgent and systemic, it will keep undermining livelihoods, health, and climate goals.
“Yet, if we engage the right partnerships and investment, plastic waste can be turned into a driver of jobs and innovation, especially for young people across the continent.”
The Foundation, which focuses on climate action, education, and health, said it would continue to integrate gender equality and local leadership into its programming, adding that more information is available at onefoundation.ng, and registration for the Africa Social Impact Summit is open via theimpactsummit.org.
