What if we could turn our daily problems into job opportunities? Where there’s a problem, there’s a solution.
On Tuesday, 21 October 2025, the Namibian Youth Chamber of Environment (NYCE) hosted a webinar featuring Mr. Fillemon Shilongo, a socio-economic researcher and environmental economist, and Ms. Toini Kauluma, a graphic designer. The webinar explored how Namibia’s pressing environmental challenges, such as water scarcity, desertification and waste accumulation, can be reframed as economic opportunities for innovation, investment and job creation. Through practical examples and policy insights, the speakers challenged participants to move beyond viewing sustainability as a cost and instead recognise it as a platform for entrepreneurship and transformation.
Turning challenges into opportunities
Namibia, the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, faces multiple environmental pressures. These challenges should be used to inspire creative thinking and green innovation. Mr. Shilongo emphasised that “where there is waste, there is also a chance for profit”, by giving examples of how environmental issues can be turned into viable business ventures:
- Water scarcity drives innovation in smart irrigation, desalination and water recycling technologies.
- Land degradation creates demand for climate-smart agriculture and restoration initiatives.
- Waste accumulation opens doors for waste-to-energy projects, recycling and upcycling enterprises.
Focusing on waste specifically, Mr Shilongo highlighted that turning waste into economic opportunity aligns with Namibia’s Circular Economy Roadmap (2024) and the Waste Management Policy (2018). Both policies seek to promote sustainable development and reduce dependency on external waste-processing facilities.
Youth and the circular economy
A key discussion point revolved around the role of young people in advancing Namibia’s transition toward a circular economy. With youth unemployment on the rise, Mr. Shilongo encouraged participants to explore recycling and waste entrepreneurship as pathways to self-employment and community impact. He cited the success of local companies such as Rent-A-Drum, which has built a nationwide recycling network, and smaller buy-back centres that empower community entrepreneurs to collect and resell recyclables. This example demonstrates how sustainable business models can simultaneously address environmental concerns and create jobs.
Ms. Kauluma expanded on this by emphasising the importance of education, innovation and collaboration between youth, academia and the private sector. She called for mentorship opportunities, start-up funding and inclusion of green skills in the national education system to prepare young Namibians for emerging careers in environmental industries.
Regional and global perspectives
Mr. Shilongo presented on successful case studies in Rwanda, Kenya and The Gambia, highlighting how African nations are finding localised solutions to waste management. Rwanda’s 2008 ban on non-biodegradable plastic bags transformed Kigali into one of Africa’s cleanest capitals, showing that policy commitment and public participation are essential for sustainable change.
In Namibia, there remains untapped potential to develop local recycling infrastructure. Currently, over 95% of recyclable material collected domestically is exported to South Africa due to limited processing capacity. Addressing this gap could unlock significant value within Namibia’s borders and reduce environmental costs.
Namibia ReThink Waste GreenCycle Expo 2025
The speakers introduced the upcoming Namibia ReThink Waste GreenCycle Expo 2025, scheduled for 13-14 November at the Wanderers Sports Club in Windhoek. With the theme “Unifying for a circular Namibia: From waste challenges to sustainable opportunities,” the Expo will bring together local and international stakeholders to accelerate Namibia’s transition to a circular economy.
This will be Namibia’s premier sustainability event dedicated to transforming waste challenges into sustainable solutions. The programme looks at facilitating critical dialogue and creating valuable partnerships across all waste categories and industries – from municipal and industrial to mining and specialised waste streams.
Conclusion
In this webinar, we learned that Namibia could build a resilient green economy that benefits both people and the planet by aligning environmental stewardship with innovation. As Mr. Shilongo concluded, “sustainability is not a cost, it is an opportunity disguised as responsibility,” he left participants inspired to take practical steps in their communities and careers toward a cleaner, more circular Namibia.