Circular Economy Strategies of Social Enterprises in Lagos: Summary of research findings with recommendations for policy makers and practitioners

This report provides insights into the strategies of social enterprises carrying out waste related activities in Lagos Nigeria. Driven by core profit, social and environmental objectives, these enterprises organize their activities around waste, which is a crucial component for a circular economy in order to reduce, reuse or recycle it.

Following intensive fieldwork and data analysis processes, three aspects of their strategies were shed light on, such as what they do within the circular economy; how they organize to make profit and make impact; as well as how they are working towards challenging and changing behaviors on waste handling and
disposal in communities across the state.

Findings from this research shows the widespread and deeply embedded traditional beliefs and justified norms of people regarding waste some of which needs to change for circular economy principles to become established in Lagos. This research also shows that social enterprise approaches, which involves
changing existing practices and legitimizing their new ways of waste collection, aggregation, upcycling, clean-up and advocacy, are having the desired effects in disrupting the idea that people have of waste. It was therefore proposed that such organizations and their innovations need to be supported and scaled up
in order to facilitate government plans to realize a circular economy and to reap its dividends economically, socially and environmentally.

This report also highlights the meaning and other benefits of the research outcomes for policy and practice, with recommendations to social enterprises and policy makers on how to address the issues identified, as part of national and global efforts to move towards a circular economy in Lagos.