Dr Melvin Mothoa, newly appointed Director for Post-Graduate Studies in the Research Directorate at MUT, stepped onto the international stage at EWFC Hungary 2025 with a bold message: green entrepreneurship is Africa’s ticket to sustainable prosperity.
In his presentation titled “Green Entrepreneurship in the Circular Economy: Unlocking Opportunities for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Driving Sustainable Innovation”, Dr Mothoa laid out a compelling argument — that SMEs, when backed by the right tools, policies, and mindsets, can become an engine of circular economies across Africa and beyond.
“The time has come to re-imagine how we grow our economies,” said Dr Mothoa. “And that growth must be circular, inclusive, and locally driven.”
At the core of Dr Mothoa’s paper is a simple but powerful idea: waste doesn’t have to be wasted. In a circular economy, businesses do not just reduce harm — they actively regenerate the environment by reusing, recycling and designing smarter from the start. And SMEs, thanks to their agility and community connections, are uniquely positioned to lead this shift.
Dr Mothoa highlighted inspiring examples from Nigeria, Kenya, Ireland, and the UK — all showcasing small businesses that turned food waste into energy, built AI-powered waste-reduction tools, or launched eco-enterprises that uplift entire communities. Dr Mothoa’s own research draws from global literature and African case studies, weaving them together into a vision grounded in Agenda 2063, the SDGs, and the UNDP’s development framework.
Mothoa’s talk dug into what is needed to unlock this green future:
- Policies that reward sustainability and innovation;
- Access to funding for eco-startups and social enterprises;
- Smart technologies like AI and blockchain to reduce waste and increase transparency; and
- Most importantly, capacity-building, especially for young and women entrepreneurs.
Dr Mothoa argues that universities, governments and development agencies must work together to empower green entrepreneurs, not just with tools and knowledge, but with systems that support risk-taking and experimentation.
“This is not just an environmental issue,” he reminded delegates. “It is about livelihoods, dignity and self-determined growth that works for people and planet alike.”
As the room of global delegates listened, Dr Mothoa’s message resonated with the audience as he insisted that Africa can leapfrog outdated industrial models and lead the world in inclusive green innovation. But that journey begins by backing the changemakers already working at the grassroots — the small-scale entrepreneurs who see an opportunity where others see obstacles.
In closing, Dr Mothoa challenged the audience: “If we want a regenerative future, we must invest in the people building it from the ground up.”
And with that, the applause that followed did not just acknowledge his scholarship, it echoed a shared conviction: that real solutions start small, grow green, and leave no one behind.