Unisa PhD Student Gosego Sedikelo Wins 2026 Eni Award for Battery Recycling Research

• Gosego Sedikelo, a Unisa doctoral researcher, won the prestigious 2026 Eni Award in the Young Talents from Africa category
• Only two researchers across the entire African continent receive the Eni Award each year, making Sedikelo's selection a rare honour
• Sedikelo received the award from Italian President Sergio Mattarella at a ceremony held at the Quirinal Palace in Rome

A University of South Africa PhD student has been recognised on one of the world's most prestigious scientific stages. Gosego Sedikelo received the 2026 Eni Award in the Young Talents from Africa category from Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Quirinal Palace in Rome on 29 October 2026.

Sedikelo is a doctoral researcher at the Institute for Catalysis and Energy Solutions within Unisa's College of Science, Engineering and Technology. Her research focuses on finding sustainable ways to recover valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries, which power everything from electric vehicles to everyday devices. As the world shifts towards cleaner energy, the question of what to do with discarded batteries has become increasingly urgent.

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Gosego Sedikelo's work explores how critical materials locked inside end-of-life batteries can be extracted efficiently and reused, reducing waste and supporting what researchers call a circular economy. For South Africa and the broader continent, this kind of research could help build local battery recycling industries and reduce the environmental impact of growing technological waste.

African science achieves rare honour

Now in its 18th edition, the Eni Award is organised by global energy company Eni to recognise scientific excellence in energy and environmental sustainability. The Young Talents from Africa category is awarded to just two researchers across the entire continent each year. Unisa's Sedikelo shared the 2026 honour with Nosakhare Jeremiah Aigbedion from the Pan African University Institute for Basic Sciences, Technology and Innovation in Kenya. Both recipients received financial support to advance their doctoral studies.

Her PhD supervisor, Professor Yali Yao of ICES, described the recognition as a significant milestone. "Only two researchers from across Africa receive this award each year, and we are extremely proud that one of the 2026 winners is from Unisa. This is a remarkable achievement for Gosego and an important international recognition of Unisa's research excellence, postgraduate training and contribution to sustainable energy and environmental technologies," Yao said.

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Sedikelo hopes to inspire African researchers

Reflecting on the award, Sedikelo said she was humbled by the recognition. She said:

"I am deeply humbled and honoured to receive the Eni Award 2026 Young Talents from Africa, recognising my PhD research on the recycling of lithium-ion batteries and the development of sustainable approaches for recovering valuable materials from spent batteries."

She added that the achievement carries meaning beyond her own journey:

"Beyond individual achievement, this award demonstrates the potential of South African research to contribute meaningfully to global scientific innovation and address critical challenges associated with the transition to cleaner energy technologies. I hope this recognition inspires greater investment in African scientific research and the development of sustainable technologies that benefit South Africa and the broader African continent."

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Source: Briefly News