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Name:
Dr. Amy Jadesimi
Company/NGO Name:
LADOL Free Zone
Region, Country:
Nigeria
1. What is the mission of your company/NGO?
LADOL Free Zone is becoming the world’s first Sustainable Industrial Special Economic Zone, using the SDGs to build a circular ecosystem, a platform to support a range of industrial companies in the world’s fastest growing and soon to be largest market. LADOL, developed out of swamp, 13 years ago, adding new infrastructure and facilities yearly. When complete LADOL will be the blueprint for Sustainable Industrialisation of Africa.
2. What is the most innovative or environmentally/socially impactful project/practice your company/NGO has implemented?
LADOL’s masterplan makes it 100% sustainable and circular. We are targeting tenants to maximise the Zones circularity, while leveraging current clients, international oil companies, to build sustainable infrastructure and utilities that will support industries ranging from healthcare to urbanization and green energy. All Tenants will be asked to sign a pledge to operate sustainably within the Zone.
3. How have those projects positively impacted the local community and/ or your country?
LADOL is on course to create 5,000 direct and 50,000 indirect jobs in Nigeria. As the Zone is replicated across the continent we expect to help create hundreds of thousands of jobs. These jobs will all be new economy driven, i.e. based on the new sustainable businesses and markets LADOL is aiming to create through its sustainable industrialization of Africa.
4. Please share any new projects you will be implementing in the near future.
LADOL is aiming to current power costs within the Zone by 90% using waste to power technology powered by offshore waste as well as waste from cashew nut processing within the Zone.
5. What are your top 3 career accomplishments?
2019: Appointed to UNDP Steering Committee on SDGs
2019: Appointed to UNICEF Advisory Group
2009: Became Managing Director of LADOL
6. What inspired you to choose your career path?
I joined LADOL in 2004 driven by the need to make a real impact, create jobs and literally have the privileged of building a new world.
7. Personally—Why do you care about sustainability? What is your story?
SDGs are a clear articulation of what are logically and emotionally the right things to do. As an MD SDGs provide a guide on how to build a resilient profitable business. As a Nigerian woman they empower me as a vital part of my community, country and the world – rich and poor all have goals to attain and attaining them will bring us all closer together.
8. What is/are the biggest environmental or social challenge(s) facing your country today?
a. Universal Access to Power (a problem for bother rich and poor)
b. Inequality
9. What is the most positive action your country has taken to positively impact its environment or social well-being?
Ratifying the SDGs.
10. What are the biggest challenges you have faced when pursuing or trying to promote sustainable practices/projects?
Financing – there is an immediate need to redefine “bankability” and give priority to market based sustainable private sector businesses in low income, high growth countries.
Keep up with LADOL on Social Media:
Twitter: @ladol_freezone