Nigeria produces more waste than most African countries, yet most Nigerians lack proper waste collection infrastructure. But thanks to the Pakam app, Lagos State’s communities are cleaning up.
In the Igbo-Efon Community in Lagos State, Blessing Adejumo’s home reeked from nearby piles of garbage. Every time her daughter opened a window to get some fresh air, Adejumo would demand she close it. When she complained to a friend in Ikeji, the state’s capital, her friend told her about an app — Pakam — for waste pickup.
Nigeria is the top producer of solid waste in Africa, and plastic trash frequently ends up in bodies of water and sewers. The country ranks tenth globally in terms of unmanaged plastic waste. In Lagos State alone, people generate approximately 13,000 tons of waste daily, a problem magnified by the absence of proper waste collection infrastructure.
Founded by environmentalist Adeleye Odebunmi, the Pakam app connects those generating garbage in Lagos State with those who will dispose of it, or, in the case of recyclables, ensure that they get to a recycling facility. Since its inception in 2021, Odebunmi says, Pakam, which hires youths to collect trash, has disposed of over 450,000 tons of waste and gained over six thousand users within Lagos State. Beyond its waste management prowess, the Pakam app offers employment opportunities by hiring youths who work as waste pickers, paying them wages as high as N20,000 ($18.50) per week (the average working youth earns less than N7,500 — $8.60 — per week). It also allows users to report improper waste disposal (such as dumping in waterways) via video and chat features so that authorities can quickly respond. Backed by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Pakam serves not only as a means of waste management but as an educational platform, outlining the importance of proper waste handling.
