By: Nana
Appiah Acquaye
The United Nations
Development Programme (UNDP), in partnership with Samsung, has launched a
Mobile Circularity Hackathon aimed at empowering young African innovators to
address the growing challenge of electronic waste while unlocking new green job
opportunities across the continent.
The initiative, which forms
part of the 6th African Youth SDGs Summit in Accra, brings together
participants, industry experts, mentors, and ecosystem partners to develop
practical solutions that promote mobile circularity and environmental
sustainability.
Speaking at the opening of
the hackathon, Fredrick Ampiah, Resident Representative of UNDP Sierra Leone,
underscored the importance of youth participation in shaping Africa’s circular
economy future. He noted that mobile circularity presents both an environmental
necessity and an economic opportunity for job creation and innovation.
“The future of mobile
circularity in Africa will be shaped by young people who can turn today’s
e-waste challenges into tomorrow’s business and employment opportunities,” he
said. “At UNDP, we see mobile circularity not only as an environmental
imperative, but as an opportunity to create green jobs, drive innovation and
build a more sustainable future for Africa.”
The hackathon’s first day
featured technical sessions led by Samsung experts, who guided participants
through the full lifecycle of mobile devices, including raw material sourcing,
production, usage, and end-of-life management. The training is designed to help
innovators understand how circular economy principles can be applied to reduce
waste and extend product lifecycles.
Participants are expected to
use the knowledge gained to design and refine solutions that address e-waste
challenges, support climate action, and create scalable opportunities for
youth-led innovation across Africa.
Organisers say the
initiative reflects a growing push to integrate sustainability into technology
ecosystems while positioning young people as key drivers of Africa’s green
transition.
