Pakam’s Digital Revolution As Blueprint For Edo’s Environmental Renaissance

Afonne Emmanuel
Jan, Fri, 2024

Features

Pakam’s digital revolution as blueprint for Edo’s environmental renaissance

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By Usman Aliyu, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)

Edo prides itself as The Heart of Nigeria with its indigenes feeling so proud to hail from there, but residents of the South-South state have a major worry – dirt that dot every space.

In most corners of the state, the stench of such dirt fills the nostrils, reducing its picturque landscapes to nothing.

The beauty of Edo is marred by poor waste management with overflowing dumps scattered all over. With environmental health hazards staring everyone in the face, concerned analysts have continued to emphasise the need for urgent measures to tackle the trend.

One such concerned analyst is Mrs Melody Enyinnaya, an environmental expert.

“Benin City, one of the busiest cities in Nigeria, is unfortunately facing a significant challenge when it comes to waste management.

“The improper handling and disposal of waste have led to severe environmental, health, and socioeconomic consequences.

“Majority of wastes generated and dumped in the dumpsite are mostly organic, residual, plastics and hazardous waste.

“The practice of burning waste is still a regular practice within the city metropolis, generating greenhouse gases that give rise to climate change which is already telling in our weather condition.

“The environment suffers tremendously as improperly disposed waste contaminates water bodies, pollutes the air, and degrades soil quality, leading to the loss of biodiversity and ecosystem disruption,” Enyinnaya says.

Enyinnaya, who is the Project Officer, Waste Management, of the Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), notes that the case of plastic pollution has particularly thrown the city into a flooded city at the slightest drop of rain.

According to a recent brand audit report of the ERA/FoEN, she claims, these plastics are all recyclables and the throw-away culture has adversely affected the environment.

Pakam Innovation

But as Edo grapples with this concern, the activities of Lagos-based Pakam, an innovative initiative that has revolutionised waste management in the former Nigerian capital, is offering some hope of a possible solution.

Pakam is an initiative of the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) in partnership with Pakam Technology led by Mr Adeleye Odebunmi, its Chief Executive Officer.

Pakam, a digital marketplace for waste, recyclingmand smart enforcement, utilises cutting-edge software applications and data to promote a circular economy and sustainability through efficient waste management and recycling practices.

The central tenet of Pakam’s success lies in connecting waste generators with collectors across the entire value chain.

Besides waste collection, the Pakam Initiative also promotes recycling and waste segregation practices, where households are paid for their recyclable materials.

Pakam’s innovative waste-on-demand solution, often likened to an “Uber for waste,” environmental experts say, has the potential to alleviate the burden of waste collection and disposal.

The platform unifies diverse waste entities under a single digital roof, offering an end-to-end data aggregation and insights that prove invaluable for stakeholders.

Mr Hodok Orok, one of the household users of the software app in Lagos, describes it as an efficient and effective transformative force.

“I had these two bags of plastic waste in my backyard for quite a long time, hoping to get a local recycler to come and pick them up. Then, I heard of Pakam. I called Mr Taiwo Adewole who explained to me how the Pakam app works. I requested a pick-up and the response was swift,” Orok testifies.

Similarly, another user, Mr Michael Ogunleye, describes the system as very fast, efficient and reliable.

According to him, once a pickup is scheduled, the collectors will always find a way to pickup.

“It’s very fast, efficient and reliable. I recommend it for every household,” Ogunleye says.

On how the app works, Odebunmi of the Pakam tech firm, says that users register with their mobile numbers as well as email addresses, after which the required services such as regular waste collection, recycling services or special waste disposal for hazardous materials is selected.

According to him, the users will input their locations and schedules before they get matched with service providers and book services before proceeding to make payments.

“The app also offers environmental reporting and educational resources for sustainable waste management,’’ he says.

The success of Pakam is not just in its connections but in its adept use of technology. Real-time data collection and analysis empower officials to make informed decisions, optimise resource allocation and identify areas for improvement.

The Managing Director/CEO of LAWMA, Mr Ibrahim Odumboni, recounts the gains of the recycling initiative.

“It has helped to tackle plastic pollution in the state.

“With the initiative, plastic materials have become valuable commodities for economic gains through recycling. The authority is working with a private firm to establish a bottle-to-bottle recycling facility soon.”

For many experts, this technological advantage is crucial to tackling Edo’s waste management concerns.

The experts believe that Edo can draw vital lessons from Pakam’s commitment to stakeholder engagement. By actively involving all relevant stakeholders, they say, Edo has the opportunity to build a coalition of support and collaboration, turning waste management into a collective mission.

“The Pakam initiative in Lagos can be a solution to the plastic pollution in Benin City as it encourages segregation from source and gives incentives to individuals.

“This can reduce the number of plastics that have blocked our waterways/drainage systems,” Enyinnaya of the ERA/FoEN says.

Besides success in waste management, Pakam’s success also extends to building a circular ecosystem.

Mr Umar Idris-Momoh, a resident, who is familiar with the successes, says Edo can also replicate the approach, thereby fostering inclusivity and shared responsibility among stakeholders.

“From individual households to commercial establishments, everyone becomes a crucial participant in the vision of a cleaner and healthier environment,” Idris-Momoh says.

However, inadequate infrastructure, high population density as well as poor environmental behaviour are generally believed to be among the challenges facing the initiative.

But with Edo standing at the crossroads of waste management challenges, analysts insists that the success of Pakam in Lagos is more than just a story – it has become a roadmap for transformation.

They say that the digital marketplace for waste recycling and smart enforcement offers not only a solution, but a vision of a cleaner, healthier and more sustainable future.

For the experts, Pakam’s innovation offers the opportunity to rewrite Edo’s environmental narrative and make it a beacon of change in Nigeria.

Thus, they opine, the lessons from Lagos become the cornerstone of Edo’s environmental renaissance, setting the stage for a greener and more prosperous tomorrow.

This report is produced under the DPI Africa Journalism Fellowship Programme of the Media Foundation for West Africa and Co-Develop.

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