Discarded Commodities and Economic Opportunity: A Historical Analysis of the Impact of Scavenging and Recycling on Entrepreneurship in Ilorin, Nigeria

The contributions of scavenging to the development of human lives in the present Nigerian economic realities are phenomenal. Despite the stigma and other challenges associated with the trade in discarded commodities, the trade in Ilorin during the period under review contributed immensely to the upliftment of the socio-economic lives of lower-income earners in Ilorin and Kwara State. Nevertheless, the socio-economic impact of the trade in scavenged items in Ilorin is glossed over by the scholars in the economic history of Ilorin. Therefore, this study conducts a historical analysis of trade in recycling or scavenged/condemned commodities in Ilorin. This study explores the inadvertent contributions of scavengers to the entrepreneurial and technological development in Ilorin. By examining the historical intersection of recycling, scavenging, entrepreneurship, and innovation, this research reveals how scavenging has sustained cottage industries in Ilorin over time. This paper uses both primary and secondary sources to examine the origins of recycling and scavenging in Ilorin. It also assesses the sourcing mode for discarded commodities and evaluates the impacts and challenges of scavenging in Ilorin. The study provides valuable insights into how scavenging and entrepreneurship intersect to drive local economic growth in the Nigerian context.