06/10/2026
At just 17 years old, Nigerian environmental innovator Amara Nwuneli has earned global recognition for turning an environmental problem into a practical community solution. 🇳🇬🌍🌱
Amara was named the 2025 Africa Winner of The Earth Prize, a global competition that recognises young people developing innovative solutions to environmental challenges. 🏆
Through her initiative, Preserve Our Roots, she helped transform a neglected, waste-filled site in Ikota, Lagos, into a community park using recycled and reclaimed materials, including discarded tyres, metal and wood.
The project was designed to provide children with a safer place to play while creating a greener environment and promoting sustainability within the community. 🌱❤️
As part of her recognition, Amara received $12,500, which she planned to use to expand the initiative and establish three additional parks in underserved Nigerian communities.
Her passion for environmental advocacy was also shaped by personal experience. In 2020, flooding affected her family and their agricultural business, strengthening her determination to find practical solutions to environmental challenges.
From witnessing the effects of flooding to transforming a neglected space into a community park, Amara Nwuneli is showing what young Nigerians can achieve with creativity, determination and a commitment to making a difference. 🇳🇬🔥
Congratulations, Amara! 🏆🌱👏
