Harnessing indigenous practices for circular economy transition

Tolulope V .Gbadamosi & Zacchaeus O Oluwafemi

Harnessing indigenous practices for circular economy transition

Abstract: The circular economy has proven to be an effective means to solve the problem of global sustainability challenges through the more efficient use of resources, waste reduction, and regenerative production. Yet, the majority of developing countries that focus on sustainability initiatives hardly ever give attention to the indigenous knowledge systems that enabled environmentally sustainable practices in the past. This paper assesses the indigenous practices that align with the circular economy in Oyo State, Nigeria, and discusses the problems of incorporating these indigenous practices into contemporary sustainability frameworks. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used in the study. Quantitative data was obtained from the administration of a questionnaire to a sample of 200 respondents from the rural and urban communities of the Ibadan metropolis, and qualitative data was obtained from the key informant interviews. Data was analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. The study found that a number of indigenous practices including the reuse of materials, traditional composting, the sharing of resources communally, and certain indigenous methods of agriculture, exemplify the principles of the circular economy. There are a number of problems that limiting the effective integration of these practices, such as policies somersault, a lack of financial resources, inadequate knowledge, and unresponsive markets. The study recommends that indigenous knowledge systems and practices be integrated into modern systems of sustainability.

AMJD Volume. 14, Issue 2 (2026)

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Harnessing indigenous practices for circular economy transition