Airtel Employees Clean up Elegushi Model Market to Promote Circular Economy

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Employees of a leading telecommunications provider, Airtel Nigeria, recently cleaned up the Elegushi Model Market, Jakande, Lekki, Lagos, as part of activities to mark the 2025 World Environmental Week themed Ending Plastic Pollution.

This initiative, supported by the Ecobarter Company and carried out under the #UnPlasticAfrica campaign, spanned six states of the federation, with Airtel employees, community leaders, government partners, and market communities mobilised in a united effort to combat plastic pollution.

With the Lagos market cleanup, Airtel staff and community members joined forces to remove plastic waste and sensitize the locals on individual contributions towards a plastic-free environment.

To support sustainability and align with Lagos State’s ban on single-use plastic, large bins for refuse sorting as well as parasols, and reusable tote with #UnPlasticAfrica messaging were distributed to traders and their customers in the market to encourage behavioural change.

Recall that the Airtel Nigeria World Environment Week campaign began on June 4 with an employee seminar led by Mr Balsingh, followed by market clean-up exercises at Bodija Market, Oyo State; Oba Market, Benin City, Edo State; Wuse Market, Abuja; Artisan Market, Enugu State; Yankaba Market, Kano State; and finally, Elegushi Model Market, Jakande, Lagos.

“True environmental care starts with action: keeping our gutters and surroundings clean and ensuring that plastic waste never finds its way into our canals and waterways.

“The Elegushi market community has shown remarkable leadership by welcoming this initiative, and we are proud to have partnered with them to make a tangible difference as we commemorate World Environment Day 2025.

“We believe that this effort will spark a ripple effect, inspiring communities across the nation to take bold steps towards a cleaner, healthier Nigeria,” the chief executive of Airtel Nigeria, Mr Dinesh Balsingh, stated at the clean-up exercise.

Also, the Director of Corporate Communications and CSR at Airtel Nigeria, Mr Femi Adeniran, highlighted the critical importance of community participation in safeguarding the environment and commended the market leadership for their openness and commitment to such impactful initiatives.

In her remarks, the president of the Elegushi Model Market Traders’ Association, Mrs Simbiat Ronke Lawal, thanked “Airtel Nigeria and all the volunteers for coming to our market to help clean and support us.”

“This has really helped us and made our market a better place. We are incredibly happy and promise to sustain what you have started here today,” she grinned cheerfully.