Gocycle set to emerge Africa’s 1st digital e-waste marketplace in Lagos 

….. begins Pilot Phase in Lagos, Nigeria 

By Emmanuel Okoegwale, Lagos

An innovative climate-tech company, known as Gocycle has officially launched the pilot phase in Lagos Nigeria.

The Nations News reports that Gocycle is one of the Africa’s first digital e-waste marketplace, and it is a fraud-free digital system that turns hazardous waste such as end-of-life batteries into clear economic value

The founder of Gocycle, Emmanuel Okoegwale made this known in a statement signed and issued to newsmen at the weekend.

According to Okoegwale, Gocycle uses AI and secure escrow payments to organize the informal e-waste scrap sector.

And also to increase collectors’ income, and help businesses and homes trade e-waste securely and seamlessly.

He added that Gocycle started across five Local Government Areas (LGAs) in Lagos, “the platform offers a trackable, safe, and fraud-free digital system that turns hazardous waste such as end-of-life batteries into clear economic value.

The Gocycle founder, Okoegwale further stated that” Africa is experiencing a massive shift toward clean energy, led by solar installations, battery storage systems, telecom towers and electric vehicles etc. 

According to him, this growth leaves behind a huge trail of e-waste. 

“Globally, people create over 62 million tons of e-waste every year, with Nigeria alone receiving more than 100,000 tons annually.

“Today, up to 90% of this waste goes to informal scrap yards and local collectors (baba-bola). 

“Because there is no formal system, these electronics are often  processed  in the open air to extract some value.  

Okoegwale expressed worries that “This releases dangerous chemicals like lead and mercury into the air and groundwater, harming local communities.

“E-waste is not just an environmental danger; it is a massive, untapped economic opportunity,” said 

“Our marketplace changes everything. By using smart technology and secure payments, we turn volatile  e-waste into an accountable business opportunity and improve ESG mandates for organizations.

“Early results from Lagos show that  using the app to schedule pickups cuts down on random scavenging, reducing collectors’ idle time by 70% and improving their livelihoods through improved earnings while households have better value for their e-waste.

“Over the next five years, Gocycle aims to bring over 50,000 active collectors onto the platform across Africa, creating a scalable model for a zero-e-waste future.

The Nations News reports that Gocycle is an innovative African climate-tech company built for the continent’s e-waste circular economy. 

Investigation revealed that Gocycle makes it easy and frictionless for owners of old electronics to connect directly with verified recycling buyers in Africa.