L-R: Head, Innovation and Strategy, Chanja Datti Limited, Gabriel Onyebuolise; Senior Partner/Head of Markets, Ernst & Young, Ashishi Bakhshi; Deputy Head of Mission, British High Commission, Simon Field; Founder/ CEO, Planet3R, Adejoke Lasisi; Head, Corporate Affairs and Sustainable Business, Unilever Nigeria, Godfrey Adejumoh and Operations and Strategy Lead, Scrapays, Boluwatife Arewa at the unveiling of TRANSFORM grant winners held at the British High Commission's residence in Lagos today.
TRANSFORM West Africa – an impact accelerator led by Unilever, the UK government, and EY – has awarded £500,000 in grant funding to five West African enterprises focused on circularity and regenerative agriculture.
These grantees were recognised and celebrated at an event last night hosted by the British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos.
The selected organisations will also receive business insight, practical experience, resources and access to networks through Unilever and EY, to scale and maximise their impact.
TRANSFORM, a global initiative led from the United Kingdom, appointed Nigerian representatives from Unilever, the British High Commission and EY, to guide the selection process. Colleagues in the region leveraged local networks to source enterprises, attracting over 100 applications.
The winners in Nigeria include:
- Chanja Datti: A startup decentralising plastic waste processing with Micro-Recycling Plants (MRPs) near waste collection points;
- Planet 3R, A social enterprise enhancing the livelihoods of women and youths in Nigeria by teaching them weaving skills to convert plastic and textile waste into functional goods (e.g., bags, boxes); and
- Scrapays, A digital platform connecting waste producers to aggregators and processors.
British Deputy High Commissioner in Lagos, Mr Jonny Baxter, praised the innovators’ creative approach to plastic waste management, stating: “It’s very promising to see so many strong candidates working to reduce, collect and process plastic waste. With the World Earth Day fast approaching, we’re proud to support three Nigerian enterprises – Scrapays, Chanja Datti, and Planet3R who are demonstrating how digital networks can address recycling challenges and create economic growth while contributing to the global net-zero agenda.”
Country Managing Director, Unilever Nigeria, Tobi Adeniyi, highlighted the importance of TRANSFORM’s approach, which puts decision-making power into the hands of local leaders. “At TRANSFORM, we strongly believe that the best solutions are those developed by those closest to the challenge at hand. By tapping into our networks and expertise, we were able to use our local lens to identify the best innovators in the region,” he said.
The selected enterprises will be able to receive in-kind support from EY professionals, helping them navigate growth challenges and scale their impact.
Sr. Partner, Head of Markets – EY West Africa, Ashish Bakhshi also commented: “At EY, we are proud to collaborate with Unilever and BHC on TRANSFORM, where we bring our knowledge, skills and professional experience to support impactful enterprises and foster innovation. We saw many applications from across the region that are coming up with creative, innovative and inspiring solutions towards creating a more sustainable world – and we look forward to harnessing this ecosystem to create a better future for everyone, together.”
These Nigerian enterprises join thirteen others supported by TRANSFORM in West Africa including WeCyclers, a pioneering rewards-for-recycling platform, incentivising people in low-income communities in Nigeria to exchange recyclable waste for essential goods, and Reeddi Technologies which provides cleaner, more reliable and affordable electricity to households and businesses operating in energy-poor regions through its solar-charged-battery-powered generators, Capsule.
The thirteen enterprises have reached over 2 million people in West Africa and are part of a wider TRANSFORM global community which have positively impacted the lives of more than 18 million people in 20 countries.
About TRANSFORM
- TRANSFORM is an impact accelerator that unites corporates, donors, investors and academics to support visionary enterprises. Together, we test and scale new solutions that support low-income households by tackling environmental challenges, improving health and wellbeing, and building inclusive economies.
- We combine grant funding, business insight, practical experience, resources and networks. Our tailored approach creates evidence that we share widely to help leaders across the world solve global challenges.
- TRANSFORM is based on a desire to address urgent issues by learning from each other. Established in 2015 and led by Unilever, the UK’s Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office and EY, we have a proven model and an ambition to increase our impact across Africa, Asia and beyond.
- We TRANSFORM lives by tackling global challenges through life-changing enterprise.
- Globally, TRANSFORM supports 134 projects across 17 countries, and has positively impacted over 16 million lives. For more information on TRANSFORM, visit: www.transform.global
- In line with Unilever’s ambition to end plastic pollution through reduction, circulation and collaboration, TRANSFORM funds and supports a range of SMEs, such as those looking to improve the lives of informal waste workers and those aiming to scale alternative business models.
For more information about Unilever’s work on scaling reuse and refill models, visit here
About Unilever
Unilever is one of the world’s leading suppliers of Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Home Care, Foods and Ice Cream products, with sales in over 190 countries and products used by 3.4 billion people every day. We have 128,000 employees and generated sales of €60.8 billion in 2024. For more information about Unilever and our brands, please visit www.unilever.com.
About the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom. It was created on 2 September 2020 through the merger of the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) and the Department for International Development (DFID). FCDO Services provides a range of integrated, secure services worldwide to support diplomacy, development and defence for the UK government. They also offer services and expert advice to foreign governments and international organisations closely linked to the UK.
About EY
EY is a global leader in assurance, tax, strategy and transactions and consulting services. The insights and quality services we deliver help build trust and confidence in the capital markets and in economies the world over. We develop outstanding leaders who team to deliver on our promises to all of our stakeholders. In so doing, we play a critical role in building a better working world for our people, for our clients and for our communities.
EY refers to the global organisation, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. For more information about our organisation, please visit ey.com.
