OceanHub Africa, in partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation, has launched a $120,000 pan-African challenge aimed at promoting innovative, science-driven solutions to plastic waste management across the continent.
The initiative, titled Call for Bold Ideas in Plastic Circularity, invites scientists, innovators and startups across Africa to submit scalable ideas capable of moving beyond the concept stage into commercially viable solutions with measurable environmental impact.
Nigeria Startup News reports that the information was contained in a statement issued by the OceanHub Africa media team on Tuesday.
According to the statement, the programme is designed to respond to Africa’s plastic pollution crisis by accelerating practical innovations and business models that can transition from early ideation into market-ready applications.
The partners stated that through the initiative, they aim to enable the recycling of at least 490 tonnes of plastic waste while creating more than 150 sustainable livelihoods in coastal and urban communities across Africa.
The statement read, “OceanHub Africa (OHA), in partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), has announced a $120,000 pan-African challenge aimed at uncovering innovative, science-driven solutions to plastic waste across the continent. Titled the Call for Bold Ideas in Plastic Circularity, the initiative invites scientists, innovators, and startups from across Africa to submit ideas capable of scaling beyond the concept stage into impactful, measurable, and commercially viable solutions.
“The challenge responds to the escalating plastic pollution crisis by accelerating practical solutions and business models that can transition from early ideation into market-ready applications. Through this effort, the partners aim to enable the recycling of at least 490 tons of plastic waste while creating more than 150 sustainable livelihoods in coastal and urban communities across Africa.”
Selected participants will benefit from OceanHub Africa’s venture builder framework and receive a share of up to $120,000 in funding to support early-stage scaling.
They will also receive technical support, business mentorship and access to market-entry networks and corporate partners to help ensure real-world adoption.
Speaking on the initiative, the Managing Director of OceanHub Africa, Herland Cerveaux, said the programme was designed to ensure that promising ideas do not remain confined to research or pilot stages but are developed into scalable businesses delivering tangible environmental and economic benefits.
Cerveaux noted that the partnership with The Coca-Cola Foundation provides financial backing and strategic networks that can accelerate market readiness and long-term impact.
Also speaking, the Senior Director of Recycling Value Chains at The Coca-Cola Foundation, Jeff Denby, stressed the importance of linking environmental sustainability with economic inclusion.
According to him, supporting locally driven solutions with funding and structured guidance creates opportunities for African innovations to tackle plastic pollution while strengthening communities and generating livelihoods.
The initiative comes amid projections that Africa’s solid waste generation will exceed 200 million tonnes annually by 2030, with plastic waste accounting for a significant share.
The challenge aims to harness entrepreneurship and innovation to address environmental pressures sustainably across the continent Africa-wide.
