Entries open: UNDP Nigeria Global Plastics Innovation Programme ($20,000 Grant)

June 11, 2025 BusinessTrumpet

Entries are now open for the UNDP Nigeria Global Plastics Innovation Programme ($20,000 Grant). Plastic pollution in Nigeria is not merely an environmental concern — it represents a fundamental development challenge. Annually, over 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste are produced, with less than 10% being effectively recycled. Consequently, the overwhelming majority of plastic waste is deposited in landfills, drainage systems, or water bodies, exacerbating urban flooding, posing health risks, and leading to infrastructure deterioration (World Bank, 2022). For instance, in Lagos, plastic waste is a primary contributor to clogged drainage systems, resulting in annual flood-related losses estimated at $4 billion (LASEPA, 2023).

This crisis is intertwined with various dimensions of inequality. Women, who constitute a significant portion of informal waste workers, frequently operate without formal protections, market access, or decision-making authority. Simultaneously, youth encounter high unemployment rates, despite possessing the creativity and energy necessary to foster green enterprises. Rural and low-income communities are disproportionately affected by the health hazards and environmental degradation stemming from plastic pollution (UNEP, 2021).

Concurrently, the plastic economy — if reimagined — possesses transformative potential. UNIDO’s 2021 assessment of Nigeria’s plastic value chain reveals substantial untapped opportunities for material innovation, closed-loop business models, community-driven recycling initiatives, and circular financing mechanisms that not only tackle pollution but also generate employment, promote inclusive entrepreneurship, and enhance local resilience.

Nigeria’s National Policy on Plastic Waste Management (2020) underscores the necessity for new technologies, behavioral changes, and systems-level strategies to facilitate a transition towards circularity. However, top-down approaches alone are insufficient. Addressing this challenge demands the boldness and creativity of those closest to the issue — early-stage innovators, local builders, youth-led enterprises, and community-based organizations who recognize the gaps, experience the realities, and are prepared to collaboratively forge a new path forward.

With financial support from the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the UN Peace and Development Trust Fund, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) will facilitate innovative approaches to combat plastic pollution. This open call from the Global Plastics Innovation Programme (GPIP) aims to empower grassroots change agents. Whether you are creating an eco-friendly material, managing a community reuse initiative, redesigning packaging, or testing a new policy tool — your idea is significant. We seek unconventional, early-stage solutions that are grounded in local contexts, designed with users in mind, and aimed at achieving scalable, inclusive, and sustainable impact. Applicants may concentrate on a single innovation area or propose solutions that span multiple sectors.

Eligibility Criteria – UNDP Nigeria Global Plastics Innovation Programme

Early-stage not-for-profit innovators, community-based organizations (CBOs), and social impact organizations addressing plastic pollution.
Unconventional, early-stage solutions that are rooted in local realities, designed with users in mind, and focused on scalable, inclusive, and sustainable impact.
Applicants may focus on one innovation area or propose multi-sector solutions.
Must be based in Nigeria, and the project should concentrate on Nigeria.

Application Process – UNDP Nigeria Global Plastics Innovation Programme

The deadline for submitting proposals is 13th June 2025.
Applications must be sent via email ONLY to: [email protected].
For further inquiries, please contact [email protected].
It is anticipated that the project will begin in June 2025 and conclude by June 2026.
The subject line of the proposal should read: “NIGERIA-PLASTIC INNOVATION PROJECT-[ORGANIZATION NAME]”