Unilever, UK Government and EY, announce grant of £500,000 for five West African Startups, including three in Nigeria
Five West African businesses that prioritize circularity and regenerative agriculture have received £500,000 in grant financing from TRANSFORM West Africa, an impact accelerator run by Unilever, the UK government, and EY.
The British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos sponsored a reception yesterday night to honor and celebrate these grantees.
In order to scale and maximize their impact, the chosen organizations will also receive resources, real-world experience, business insight, and network access from Unilever and EY.
Nigerian representatives from Unilever, the British High Commission, and EY were chosen to lead the selection process by TRANSFORM, a worldwide effort headed by the United Kingdom. Colleagues in the area attracted more than 100 applications by sourcing businesses through local networks.
The winners in Nigeria include:
- Chanja Datti: A startup decentralising plastic waste processing with Micro-Recycling Plants (MRPs) near waste collection points;
- Planet 3R, A social enterprise enhancing the livelihoods of women and youths in Nigeria by teaching them weaving skills to convert plastic and textile waste into functional goods (e.g., bags, boxes); and
- Scrapays, A digital platform connecting waste producers to aggregators and processors.
British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr Jonny Baxter praised the innovators’ creative approach to plastic waste management, stating: “It’s very promising to see so many strong candidates working to reduce, collect and process plastic waste. With the World Earth Day fast approaching, we’re proud to support three Nigerian enterprises – Scrapays, Chanja Datti, and Planet3R who are demonstrating how digital networks can address recycling challenges and create economic growth while contributing to the global net-zero agenda.”
Tobi Adeniyi, the country managing director of Unilever Nigeria, emphasized the significance of TRANSFORM’s strategy, which gives local leaders the authority to make decisions.
At TRANSFORM, we firmly think that the people who are closest to the problem at hand are the ones who can come up with the best answers. We were able to find the top innovators in the area by using our local perspective and our networks and experience,” he stated.
EY personnel will provide in-kind support to the chosen businesses, assisting them in overcoming growth obstacles and expanding their influence.
“At EY, we are proud to collaborate with Unilever and BHC on TRANSFORM, where we bring our knowledge, skills, and professional experience to support impactful enterprises and foster innovation,” added Ashish Bakhshi, Senior Partner and Head of Markets at EY West Africa. We are excited to use this ecosystem to build a brighter future for everybody, working together. We saw a lot of applications from all around the region that are coming up with amazing, inventive, and creative ways to make the world more sustainable.
These Nigerian companies join 13 others that TRANSFORM in West Africa has supported, such as WeCyclers, a trailblazing platform that offers incentives to residents of low-income neighborhoods in Nigeria to trade recyclable waste for necessities, and Reeddi Technologies, which offers cleaner, more dependable, and more reasonably priced electricity to homes and businesses in energy-poor areas through its solar-charged, battery-powered generators, Capsule.
In addition to reaching more than 2 million people in West Africa, the thirteen businesses are a part of the larger TRANSFORM global community, which has improved the lives of more than 18 million people across 20 nations.
