The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Lagos State Government have both pledged to provide necessary support for the successful hosting of the Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 scheduled to hold this month in Lagos.
Their officials – Mr Olatunbosun Alake, Special Adviser to Lagos State Governor – Mr. Babatjide Sanwo-Olu on Innovation and Technology, Permanent Secretaries, Lagos State Ministry of Environment & Water Resources (Mr Gaji Omobolaji), Lagos State Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget (Mrs Bosede George) as well as *Ms. Leonie Van der Stijl* who is the Deputy Consul General of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Nigeria spoke at a fundraiser event, which took place at the office of the Netherlands Consulate in Lagos.
According to Mr. Alake, Lagos State Government recognises environmental, social, and economic benefits that circular economy can provide for the more than 20million persons that reside in the State. He listed some of the benefits to include increased economic empowerment through creation of green jobs, improved health & sanitation, waste reduction, waste to wealth as well as waste to energy strategy for a cleaner and better Lagos.
On her part, Ms. Leonie Van der Stijl disclosed that the kingdom of Netherlands was delighted to identify with the efforts of the Nigerian Chapter of the African Circular Economy Network (ACEN). Netherlands, she said, is actively involved in providing support for entrepreneurs to ensure that the planet remains habitable. *We have no idea what the planet will look like in the next 30 years. We must therefore design systems that draw resources from the environment and be able to replace it as the planet is no longer able to replenish resources we are using. Our focus in the kingdom of the Netherlands is to help businesses that come up with these ideas and these are the companies that we are prepared to work with*.
Kemi Ajakaiye chapter lead for the Nigerian chapter of the African Circular Economy Network and partner of the Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 said the chapter is prepared to show to the world the plethora of opportunities and array of talents that abound in Nigeria. She emphasised the fact that circular economy has the indisputable potentials to cure Nigeria and the African economy in general of the debilitating effects of the COVID 19 pandemic, reduce unemployment drastically in the continent and help to place distressed economies on the path of inevitable recovery earlier than envisaged.
The Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 is an initiative of the Kingdom of Netherlands that brings together policy makers, businesses, companies, civil society organisations, entrepreneurs, citizens, knowledge institutions and government of different nations in a bid to promote and support collaboration, knowledge sharing, highlight strategies and exchange ideas towards transition to circular economy.
As the 1st of its kind in the Africa continent, the Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 will play host to over 150 foreign audiences from 20 countries as well as at least 500 participants from across Nigeria. The event will also hold later in the year in Dublin, Republic of Ireland as well as Santiago de Chile in South America. The theme for the Lagos Circular Economy Hotspot 2023 is *Towards A Circular and Resourceful Economy: The Future Lagos* with focus on three thematic areas, which are Enabling Policies & Institutions, Limitless Collaborations and Models & Systems for the Future.
