Lagos, Nigeria – Seven-Up Bottling Company (SBC) has empowered students with practical climate education through its 2025 Green Skills Bootcamp, equipping them to lead sustainable practices in their communities and turn environmental awareness into action.
The initiative is designed to build students’ capacity for sustainable development, stimulate green innovation, and create opportunities in environmentally focused jobs.
Speaking at the bootcamp held at SBC’s Ijora head office, Lovelyn Okoye, Head of Sustainability, emphasized the practical approach of the program.
“Our goal is to translate environmental awareness into environmental action. We are equipping students with practical tools to understand climate issues, embrace recycling, champion responsible water use, and see sustainability as a pathway to opportunity,” she said.
Nkemdirim Agboti, SBC’s Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs, reiterated the company’s commitment to shaping environmentally conscious leaders.
“At Seven-Up Bottling Company, we believe that nurturing environmentally conscious young leaders is one of the most powerful investments we can make in Nigeria’s future. These students are innovators shaping the sustainability landscape,” Agboti said.
SBC’s Managing Director, Sari El-Khalil, praised the students’ innovative solutions using recycled materials, highlighting the role of young innovators in addressing Nigeria’s environmental challenges.
“We are proud to support young leaders who are daring to imagine a cleaner, greater Nigeria. Keep pushing, keep questioning, and keep creating, because your ideas today can shape a better world tomorrow,” El-Khalil said.
Dr. Bola Adewunmi, Deputy Director of LAWMA Academy, and Dr. Tola Bamigbaiye, COO of the Society for Corporate Governance, also commended SBC’s efforts, noting the importance of integrating sustainability, recycling, and environmental responsibility into youth development programs.
Green Skills School Challenge and Exhibition
The bootcamp featured the Green Skills School Challenge and Exhibition, which allowed students to showcase innovative solutions to environmental issues, particularly plastic waste pollution.
Thirty-six students from 18 shortlisted schools participated, building on the 2024 challenge to enhance their upcycling, entrepreneurial, and environmental skills. Each student received a comprehensive recycling toolkit to support hands-on learning in sustainable practices, recycling, and green innovation.
The bootcamp united students, educators, environmental advocates, and government representatives, emphasizing the critical role of youth-led innovation in advancing Nigeria’s sustainability agenda.
“Practical climate education is key to building a generation capable of turning environmental challenges into opportunities. By nurturing young innovators today, we are shaping leaders for a cleaner, more sustainable Nigeria,” Okoye concluded.
