The Osun State Government has reaffirmed its commitment to climate action and green economic growth, with a renewed focus on empowering youths and women through waste-to-energy and waste-to-wealth initiatives.
The training held on Friday in Osogbo had about 1,000 youths including women as participants.
The training exposed the particular to how to convert waste such as nylons, plastics, organic waste, among others to wealth through conversion to energy, thereby creating employment opportunities to the people.
Speaking at a training programme held on Friday in Osogbo, the Director-General and Special Envoy to Governor Ademola Adeleke on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Professor Chinwe Obuaku, said youths and women remain the most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, yet possess unique strengths essential for sustainable development.
According to Obuaku, youths bring creativity and fresh solutions, while women contribute innovation and strong community-driven values.
“When crises happen, women think first about family and community, while youths come up with creative solutions. Unfortunately, they are also the most affected by climate change,” she said.
She explained that the state deliberately prioritised youths and women, not only in climate adaptation and mitigation, but also in revenue generation through green entrepreneurship. She disclosed that more than 1,000 participants registered for the programme, which represents the second batch following the inaugural training held in August.
While the first edition focused on waste-to-wealth, Obuaku said the current training centres on waste-to-energy, equipping participants with skills to transition from a linear economy to a circular one.
“Waste is not just refuse; it is a resource and an opportunity to generate income while improving the environment,” she stated.
She further highlighted steps taken by the state to institutionalise climate governance, including the establishment of climate desk offices across all ministries and local government areas. According to her, Osun’s climate action framework is built around the circular economy, renewable energy, nature-based solutions such as tree planting, and advocacy.
Obuaku revealed that Osun recently moved from 33rd to 6th position in national climate performance rankings, attributing the progress to collective community efforts. She urged stakeholders, including NGOs, civil society organisations and government agencies, to collaborate and avoid operating in silos.
Also speaking, the co-founder of WINSOL, Taiwo Adewole, said participants were trained on how to convert plastics, nylons, used tyres, animal waste and even toilet waste into gas, diesel and other energy sources.
He explained that the technology is practical, locally developed and affordable. “What we are teaching here is not theory. We have machines that convert waste to diesel, and we even have a car running on it,” he said, adding that the technology can be replicated across all local governments.
Adewole noted that the initiative would help clean the environment, create jobs and reduce energy costs, especially for farmers and women cooperatives, who can also utilise the by-products as fertiliser and fuel. He disclosed that a Federal Government youth programme on waste-to-wealth would soon be launched in Osun, with about 520 youths from the state already registered.
One of the participants, Adebayo Mary Funmi, a member of the Youth Enterprise Development Innovation Society (YEDIS), described the training as life-changing, saying it equipped her with skills to earn income from waste materials and reduce poverty.
“I was trained under the Imole Circular Waste-to-Wealth programme and got certified. Since then, I have used the knowledge to train others in schools, organisations and artisan groups,” she said.
She added that the training has opened new opportunities for her and inspired others to embrace waste recycling as a sustainable source of livelihood.
The programme ended with calls for sustained support and wider participation to ensure that climate action, environmental protection and economic empowerment continue to expand across Osun State.
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