From the Sahara to Sustainability: How Ibrahim Turned Loss into Leadership in Kano’s Recycling Sector

In the quiet quarters of Kano State, northern Nigeria, Ibrahim once lived a modest life under the guidance of his father, a passionate recycler and self-described nature lover. The elder man transformed discarded plastics into pellets, which he sold to support his family. It was a life shaped by ingenuity, resourcefulness and a deep respect for the environment.

This tranquil life came to an abrupt end in 2019 when Ibrahim’s father passed away unexpectedly. Thrust into the role of breadwinner, Ibrahim, the eldest of his siblings, made the difficult decision to seek opportunities abroad. Motivated by a sense of responsibility and hope for a better future, he left his home with just 150 US dollars in savings and began a journey northward through Niger, headed for Libya.

“I decided to go to Libya to be able to take care of my siblings,” Ibrahim recalled. What awaited him was far from the greener pastures he had envisioned.

His journey through the Sahara Desert was perilous. “We saw corpses of people on our way, there was no water, and we were packed like sardines in the truck,” he said, describing the harrowing conditions. Once in Libya, the reality was even more brutal. Ibrahim endured exploitative labour, hunger and isolation in a foreign land.

By 2023, Ibrahim had made up his mind to return home. “There was nothing for me there in Libya. It’s better I stay in my country with my family who loves me,” he said. With the support of the International Organization for Migration (IOM), he returned to Nigeria under the EU-funded Migrant Protection Return and Reintegration Programme for Sub-Saharan Africa (MPRR).

Upon his return to Kano, Ibrahim joined IOM’s business skills training and mentoring programme, which focuses on equipping returning migrants with tools to achieve economic reintegration. Drawing inspiration from his late father’s work, Ibrahim revived the family trade, setting up a recycling business that turns waste plastic into pellets for use by plastic manufacturers in the region.

“We recycle 1,000 kilograms of plastic in a day. This is the only business I know of. I learned from my father while he was alive,” he shared. With IOM’s guidance, he also received mentoring in business administration. This included financial literacy, cost evaluation, wage calculations and reinvestment strategies, all crucial for running a sustainable enterprise.

“At a point in time, when I started this business, I had 20 persons working with me and I was unable to generate enough profit. Everything we made as profit was used in paying staff,” he explained. It was during a routine monitoring visit that an IOM case manager advised him to streamline operations by reducing his workforce and increasing productivity. Following this advice, Ibrahim adjusted his staffing structure. Today, he employs 12 young men and women from his community, balancing social impact with economic viability.

Ibrahim is one of nearly 4,000 Nigerians who have returned to Kano State since 2019 through IOM’s voluntary return support. More than 2,700 of these returnees have received reintegration assistance in areas ranging from recycling and agriculture to fashion and retail. Others have established non-governmental organisations to raise awareness about the dangers of irregular migration and human trafficking.

The success of Ibrahim’s business highlights the impact of comprehensive reintegration programmes, which go beyond repatriation to empower individuals economically and socially. His story is not just one of survival, but of innovation, resilience and community transformation.

With continued support and investment in sustainable reintegration models, returnees like Ibrahim are proving that a journey that began with despair can indeed end in empowerment.

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