Waste to Wealth: How African Innovation is Transforming Trash into Technology | Dr. Ben Festus

About this episode

This episode explores how African innovation is transforming waste into valuable resources and industries.

What if the waste we throw away every day could build industries, create jobs, and power Africa’s future? In this powerful episode of Discovering Africa Thru Technology, we are joined by Dr. Ben Festus a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Nanoengineering and Advanced Materials (CeNAM), University of Johannesburg; Acting Director of Research and Development at Federal Polytechnic Ede, Nigeria; and Convener of the Centre for Advanced Materials and Development. This episode dives deep into waste to wealth innovation, sustainable engineering, and the circular economy in Africa revealing how everyday waste can be transformed into high value materials, industrial products, and scalable business opportunities. In this episode, you’ll discover: Why waste is not useless but untapped wealth How agro-waste (like coconut husks) can become durable industrial materials Why Africa must shift from importing goods to building local industries How e-waste recycling can produce battery materials and lab-grade resources Scalable solutions for SMEs, startups, and local manufacturing The innovation behind CoolTech a smart vaccine cooling carrier How local techniques + modern science can…

People in this episode

Host: Raziah Mwawanga

Guest: Dr. Ben Festus

Topics covered

• waste to wealth
• sustainable engineering
• circular economy
• African innovation
• e-waste recycling
• local industries

Keywords

• waste management
• sustainability
• innovation
• green technology
• industrial materials
• agro-waste
• e-waste
• local manufacturing

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Centre for Nanoengineering and Advanced Materials (CeNAM), University of Johannesburg, Federal Polytechnic Ede, Centre for Advanced Materials and Development

More episodes of Discovering Africa Thru' Technology

• Beyond Breakthroughs: Innovation Communicated · June 11, 2026 · 1h 12m
• Tech That Frees: African Innovation & Global Justice Jillian Alexander · June 5, 2026 · 34 min
• Breathe Easy: How Tech and AI Are Transforming Lung Cancer Care in Kenya · November 28, 2025 · 42 min
• The Wisdom of Lived Experience: A Doctor's Journey through Cancer and Back · October 30, 2025 · 53 min
• The Unspoken Reality of Cancer Surgery in Tanzania · October 29, 2025 · 51 min
• The Potential and Market of African Spices and Herbs Adesunbo Adeniran · April 5, 2024 · 20 min