The Nigerian Impact Investing Research Industry Collaborative (NIIRIC), established by the Impact Investors Foundation in 2024, launched its inaugural Industry Brief series in May 2025. The Industry Brief Series is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application. This new platform fosters collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders to transform innovative ideas into market-ready solutions. 

The session spotlighted cutting-edge work by Dr. Charlotte Ndiribe, Senior Lecturer at the University of Lagos (UNILAG), on Nigeria’s waste management crisis and her proposed solution, the EcoWac Smart Bin.

Understanding the Crisis

Waste pollution is a growing global emergency, classified by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) alongside climate change and biodiversity loss. Each year, over 11.2 billion metric tons of waste are generated globally, with 8 million tons of plastic polluting oceans and devastating marine life. In Nigeria, the situation is especially alarming. The country is the second-highest plastic waste generator in Africa, with Lagos alone producing 13,000 metric tons of waste daily. The challenges include poor infrastructure, lack of sanitary landfill sites in over 30 states, and outdated waste disposal methods. The result is blocked drainage systems, urban flooding, and serious public health concerns.

In response, Lagos State has taken regulatory steps such as banning single-use plastics starting from July 2025. However, policy alone is insufficient as there is an urgent need for technological innovation and infrastructure development to support sustainable waste management practices.

The Case Against Traditional Waste Bins

Most conventional waste bins still follow the 140-year-old design introduced in 1884. These outdated models are poorly sealed, attract pests, and contribute to disease spread. They fail to promote public health or enable recycling. Furthermore, unsealed bins overflow during rains, block drainages, and exacerbate flooding and environmental degradation.

Introducing the EcoWac Smart Bin

Dr. Ndiribe’s EcoWac Bin offers a transformative, tech-forward solution. This smart, solar-powered, and AI-integrated bin is designed for interactive waste disposal and sustainability. It features contactless disposal to reduce disease transmission, AI and IoT-enabled alerts for timely waste collection, and pest-resistant, tightly sealed designs. It promotes recycling through its multiple waste stream apertures and encourages behavioral change via citizen engagement tools.

The EcoWac Bin integrates seamlessly with a mobile app that enables real-time tracking, includes CCTV for security, and offers charging ports, making it multifunctional. Unlike plastic bins, the EcoWac uses durable, rust-resistant materials like stainless steel and sensors powered by platforms such as Google Vertex AI.

Market Advantage and Competitive Edge

Compared with global competitors like Bin-e, Big Belly, and EvoBin, EcoWac outperforms on multiple fronts. It is the only bin among them with all the following: solar power, airtight sealing, charging ports, CCTV, app integration, and a material buy-back incentive system. Importantly, EcoWac is available locally in Nigeria—addressing an urgent need in a way that imported alternatives do not.

Alignment with Development Goals and Future Potential

The EcoWac Bin supports nine UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including clean water, sustainable cities, responsible consumption, and climate action. It aligns with national and continental initiatives such as the Cleaner Lagos Initiative and the African Circular Economy Facility (ACEF).

Moving forward, the project will transition from design to full-scale prototyping, software development, and commercialisation. Starting as a sketch in 2018, EcoWac has matured into a scalable social impact solution with the potential to redefine urban waste management across Nigeria and beyond.

The NIIRIC Industry Brief provided a compelling case for how innovations like the EcoWac can drive systemic change, marking a step towards solving pressing problems in Nigeria’s economy through research.