The Lagos State Government and C 40 Cities on Monday, collaborated to hand over the Ikosi Fruit Market Biodigester Plant for conversion of generated organic waste into energy.
Speaking during the Handing over ceremony at the Ketu Fruit Market, the Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab said the facility is a resounding success for Ikosi community, the State, and for generations to come.
The Commissioner in a statement by Kunle Adesina, Director, Public Affairs in the Ministry on X, said Lagos State and C 40 Cities is not commissioning a facility but unveiling a vision on how Lagos can turn the everyday challenges into powerful opportunities, saying the BioGas Plant represents a bold step in re – imagining waste, not as a resources that can drive sustainability, resilience and growth.
He emphasised in the statement that the biogas would be used for electricity, and cooking gas while high – quality organic fertilizer can be packaged and sold back to local farmers in order to strengthened the resilience of food system by improving the soils, closing the nutrient loop and promoting sustainable agriculture.
The Commissioner added that the facility will systematically collect the markets organic waste and feed it into an anaerobic digester saying in this controlled environment, nature bacteria will break the waste without oxygen to produce biogas, and in doing so will carry out remarkable process of biological transformation that yields two invaluable products, biogas and biofertilizer.
According to him, “The project goes far beyond Ikosi. It reflects a much bigger ambition for Lagos State. The initiative is being implemented in partnership with C 40 Cities and UK International Development under the Climate Action Implementation Programme. ” Though this collaboration, Lagos continues to show leadership by translating international climate commitment into practical community – level action,” he added.
Wahab said the Biogas Plant is more than machinery and pipes but is a symbol of transformation adding that the launch affirms a simple but powerful truth which states that the future of sustainable cities is built not only in boardrooms and policy documents but right in the markets, communities and in daily activities of all.
He explained that Ikosi fruit market on a daily basis generates tons of organic waste from fruit peels, to vegetable trimmings to unsold products just like many markets across the state, saying these materials have traditionally ended in landfill or open dumps.
The Environment and Water Resources Commissioner said the project has transformed a long – standing problem into a practical solutions. Instead of rotting in dumps adding that organic waste from this market will now be converted into clean, sustainable biogas for cooking and electricity.
He added that it will produce nutrient – rich organic fertilizer that can be used on the farms, disclosing that this is circular economy in action and includes closing the loop, reducing emissions, creating value and improving livelihoods.
Earlier, the Permanent Secretary Environmental Services Gaji Omobolaji said the project represents the power of innovation, collaboration and technology adding that for a long time traders have grappled with challenge of waste management.
He stressed that the Ikosi Fruit Biogas Plant provides an ingenious solution that is transforming what is once considers “Waste into valuable resources.
In his speech, the C 40 Cities Regional Director, Africa, Mr. Anthony Okoth expressed appreciation and gratitude for the completion adding that C 40 Cities collaborating with other 14 countries around Africa stating that Lagos is the biggest of these cities and their collaborating is working to address sanitation waste matter and climate change issues.
