Sahara Group Foundation Awards 130,000 USD to 20 African EXTRApreneurs.

The Sahara Group Foundation (SGF), the social impact arm of Sahara Group, a leading energy and infrastructure conglomerate, has awarded over 130,000 USD to 20 outstanding African EXTRApreneurs under its flagship Sahara Impact Fund (SIF) Cohort 4 and Making A Difference Around Africa (MADAA) initiatives.

For nearly two decades, the Sahara Group Foundation has been a catalyst for sustainable development across Africa, investing in programmes that advance entrepreneurship, environmental stewardship, innovation, and community transformation.

The 2025 editions of the SIF and MADAA programmes were re-engineered in response to insights from previous cycles, which revealed a widening gap between early-stage innovation and market entry in Africa. By deliberately aligning MADAA and SIF, the Foundation has built a streamlined innovation pipeline designed to eliminate barriers, strengthen capacity, and ensure sustainability well beyond the life of the grants.

“Our focus goes beyond disbursing grants,” said David Ayinde, Program Supervisor, Sahara Group Foundation, during the Awards and Gala Night. “We have built a capacity development framework that equips our EXTRApreneurs with business intelligence, governance discipline, and commercial readiness to scale their solutions sustainably across African markets.”

“By reinventing the Sahara Impact Fund and curating an enhanced MADAA programme, we are closing the loop between discovery, support, and scale,” said Chidilim Menakaya, Director, Sahara Group Foundation. “This ensures promising EXTRApreneurs have a clear, structured, and well-supported pathway to measurable impact.”

Charging the awardees to embrace resilience, discipline, and innovation in their businesses, Kola Adesina, Executive Director, Sahara Group said these attributes will help African EXTRApreneurs achieve “transformative impact across the continent with the added incentive of scaling their businesses for global competitiveness.”

Also speaking, Ade Odunsi, Executive Director, Sahara Group, said, “Sahara started out with the mindset of entrepreneurship. Your businesses must have unique value propositions that can continually be reengineered for more impact through innovation.”

The 2025 programme cycle attracted over 2,000 applications from across Africa, demonstrating the depth of innovation on the continent. A rigorous selection process shortlisted about 300 innovators for an intensive Capacity Building Workshop delivered by Sahara Group experts. The sessions covered business strategy and sustainability, governance and regulatory compliance, brand positioning and communications, commercial and stakeholder management, and legal, financial, and tax advisory processes.

20 high-potential EXTRApreneurs were eventually selected for the Business Advisory Bootcamp in Lagos, Nigeria, ultimately receiving grants for their businesses.

The recipients of $10,000 include: Chinwendu Augustina Nweke of Bridge Merchant Enterprise (Nigeria); Elvis Kadhama of Essymart Africa Business Link Limited (Uganda); Violet Awo Amoabeng of Skin Gourmet (Ghana); Tracey Shiundu of FunKe Science (Kenya); Salma Medhat of Hiryo (Egypt); Anita Nsiah Donkor of Timoya Farms (Ghana); Dr. Sisay Abebe of KMS ETH Health Trading S.C (Ethiopia); Kedumetse Liphi of Ked-LiphiBw (Botswana); Ernest Mongezi Majenge of The Wheelchair Doctor (South Africa); and Joan Rukundo Nalubega of Uganics Repellents Ltd (Uganda).

$5,000 grants were awarded to Eunice Adewale of Smokeless Briqs Energy Solutions (Nigeria); Henry Danwawo Lamba of Schrödinger Technologie Ltd (Nigeria); Johnson Obute of Maximus Recycling Solutions (Nigeria); Abraham Ugbenja Iborchan of PureLube Limited (Ghana); and Brian Okeyo of Nawiri Organics (Kenya). The $1,000 grant recipients include Jide Ayegbusi of EdGo Technology Ltd (Nigeria); David Ssembajjwe of Camelot Agroecology Farm Ltd (Uganda); Mojola Ola of Gridcrux Energy Solutions (Nigeria); Abiodun Quadri of Zerosmoke Ventures (Nigeria); and Fasanya Samuel Akinpelumi of Poshfil Polish Products Ltd (Nigeria).

Sahara Group Foundation Launches its 16th Sahara Go Recycling Hub to Boost Environmental Sustainability & Economic Empowerment.

Sahara Group Foundation, the corporate social impact arm of Sahara Group, has commissioned its 16th Sahara Go-Recycling Hub in Lekki, Lagos State, reaffirming its commitment to sustainable waste management, environmental protection, and community empowerment.

The new hub, strategically located in Lekki, expands the Foundation’s recycling footprint and builds on the success of 15 existing hubs across Lagos. Notably, it is the first Sahara Go-Recycling Hub to feature a solar-powered Reverse Vending Machine (RVM), a significant step toward integrating clean energy and technology into community recycling solutions.

The Sahara Go-Recycling initiative promotes a circular economy by reducing waste, enhancing resource recovery, and empowering residents with opportunities to earn income from recyclables.

Speaking at the commissioning, Chidilim Menakaya, Director, Sahara Group Foundation, said: “The launch of the Lekki Go-Recycling Hub goes beyond environmental responsibility, it represents a new path for innovation, economic opportunity, and community resilience. By integrating clean energy solutions like the solar-powered Reverse Vending Machine, we are demonstrating how innovation can strengthen environmental responsibility while improving quality of life. This hub is a testament to what is possible when we combine commitment with action, and it sets the stage for even greater impact across the communities we serve.”

The event was attended by Executive Director of Sahara Group, Director, Downstream Africa, Sahara Group, Sahara Group Foundation Board Trustees, Asharami Synergy Management team, executives and representatives of Sahara Group, Asharami Synergy, Egbin Power Plc, as well as other dignitaries, traditional leaders and community members.

Photo Caption (L-R): Foluso Sobanjo, Director Downstream Africa, Sahara Group, Chidilim Menakaya, Director, Sahara Group Foundation, Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka, Executive Director Sahara Group, Eniola Folami, Head Commercial, Asharami Synergy, Dr Tony Youdeowei, Board Trustee, Sahara Group Foundation and MD Sahara Power Group.

Moroti Adedoyin-Adeyinka, Executive Director Sahara Group, remarked, “The success of the Lekki Sahara Go-Recycling Hub is a powerful reminder that sustainable change happens when communities, technology, and purpose come together. This hub is not just collecting recyclables; it is inspiring new habits, creating economic value, and proving that cleaner, greener cities are possible when we all play our part. We are proud of what this hub represents and even more excited about the impact it will continue to make across Lagos and beyond.”

Dr Anthony Youdeowei, Board Trustee, Sahara Group Foundation and MD Sahara Power Group, commended the collaboration between Sahara Group Foundation, Asharami Synergy, the Sahara Group 2025 Graduate Management Trainees, and Eco Barter, describing the hub as reflective of our belief that sustainability must be practical, accessible, and community-driven.

Representing the 2025 Sahara Group Graduate Management Trainees, Elushade Oluwatumininu stated that, ” As Graduate Management Trainees, being part of the Lekki Go-Recycling Hub project through our PSCR project has been a meaningful way to live out Sahara’s sustainability values. Seeing the hub’s impact from promoting recycling habits to empowering the community reinforces how small actions can drive real change. We’re proud to be part of this initiative.”

Since its inception, the Sahara Go Recycling Initiative has collected over 650 tonnes of recyclable waste and facilitated payouts exceeding ₦55 million to beneficiaries. The program has positively impacted more than 1200 households, creating alternative income streams, supporting livelihoods, and reinforcing environmental sustainability.

Rita Idehai, CEO Eco Barter, added: “Our partnership with the Sahara Group Foundation on the Lekki Go-Recycling Hub demonstrates the power of collaboration in accelerating sustainable change. Together, we are creating a system that rewards responsible disposal, supports local livelihoods, and brings technology-driven recycling closer to the community. We are proud to work with a partner that shares our vision for a cleaner, smarter, and more circular future for Lagos.”

Reiterating Sahara Group Foundation’s vision, Chidilim Menakaya added, “The Sahara Go Recycling project is creating a ripple effect across Lagos, enabling households and communities to see value in responsible waste management. Through strategic partnerships, we are amplifying impact and building sustainable ecosystems for future generations.”

“At Sahara Group Foundation, we believe in EXTRApreneurship, building sustainable ecosystems through collaborations that inspire change. With Ijede now part of our network, we are one step closer to a truly circular economy in Nigeria,” she concluded.

Sahara Group Foundation plans to expand the Go Recycling Initiative to more communities in Lagos and across Africa, reinforcing its mission of “Building Sustainable Communities through EXTRApreneurship.”

Sahara Group’s ‘IGWE’ Initiative Harnesses Gamification to Rally Sustainability

Sahara Group has unveiled “I’m Green Without Envy (IGWE)”, an exciting new platform that transforms sustainability into a rewarding daily practice for employees. Launched during Sahara Sustainability Week, IGWE uses gamification to encourage eco-friendly habits while making environmental action personal and measurable.

Ejiro Gray, Director, Governance and Sustainability at Sahara Group, said IGWE reflects the global energy conglomerates position that sustainability should be engaging, not merely obligatory. “By facilitating, instituting and rewarding simple actions like reducing plastic use or conserving energy, Sahara is inspiring a culture where protecting our planet becomes desirable and achievable through personal responsibility,” she said.

According to Gray, the innovative app allows Sahara employees across Africa, Asia. Europe and the Middle East to earn “Green Credits” for sustainable choices, participate in team challenges and leaderboards, track their personal environmental impact, and engage in real-world tree planting initiatives

“With IGWE, we’re making it easier and more exciting for our employees to exemplify the P in our CSR. At Sahara, this means Personal Corporate Social Responsibility, thus making each Sahara employee confidently say I’m Green Without Envy in the cause of making a difference toward safeguarding the planet we call home,” she said.

 

Photo Credit (L-R): Ejiro Gray, Director of Governance and Sustainability, Lauretta Eguabor, Governance and Sustainability Executive, Tejumade Tejuoso, Governance and Sustainability Manager during the launch of “I’m Green Without Envy” (IGWE), a platform that gamifies sustainability to encourage eco-friendly habits across Sahara Group locations in Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.

Gray noted that IGWE presents an opportunity to help combat global CO₂ emissions which hit 36.8 billion metric tons in 2023, deforestation, and the debilitating impact of mounting plastic waste across the globe.

“By merging technology, behavioral science, and community engagement into a single ecosystem, IGWE can drive an environmental paradigm shift, transforming individual actions into collective impact,” she added.

Bethel Obioma, Head of Corporate Communications, Sahara Group said replacing the burden of obligation with IGWE’s “rewarding, competitive and fun” engagements makes the platform one that can elicit trans-generational participation and redefine corporate climate action.

“IGWE enables employees to track their energy savings, compete in carbon-footprint challenges, volunteer for clean-ups, single-use plastic and tree planting initiatives, among others, to earn points. We know that 70% of behavioral changes stick when tied to incentives and social accountability. IGWE will change mindsets and accelerate progress toward the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs),” he said.

Obioma said the future of sustainability requires innovation. “That’s why we’re constantly rethinking our ESG goals, leveraging technology, gamification, and digital culture to make sustainability seamless,” he concluded.

The IGWE platform has already generated enthusiastic participation from employees during the Sahara Sustainability Week, recording impressive sign-ups by Sahara Group employees ready to embrace the activities and log green actions on IGWE.

Strengthening Community Policing One City At a Time

“At Sahara Group Foundation, we are fully committed to impacting lives and livelihoods wherever we operate. Our unwavering commitment to promoting a sustainable environment is reflected through projects like this. The installation of solar panels will facilitate access to clean and reliable energy, helping the police carry out its activities seamlessly.” 

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