Lagos seeks investors for waste-to-energy, waste-to-wealth projects
The Lagos State Government has declared its readiness to partner with investors in municipal solid waste-to-energy, waste-to-wealth, and liquid waste projects as part of its climate adaptation drive.
The State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr Tokunbo Wahab, made this known while speaking as a panellist at the Harvard University Climate Action Week, themed “Rising Seas, Resilient Communities, Climate Adaptation Strategies in West Africa.”
Wahab explained that the administration has developed both a climate adaptation plan and a climate resilience plan to guide its policies.
He stated that Lagos has already carried out two pre-feasibility studies on waste-to-energy and wastewater projects, underscoring its commitment to sustainable, climate-friendly solutions.
According to him, with a population of more than 20 million people generating 13,000 metric tonnes of waste daily, the state is now adopting a strategy that views waste as a resource for both wealth and energy.
He recalled that Lagos signed a contractual agreement 18 months ago with a Ghanaian company to process 4,000 metric tonnes of the state’s daily waste into composite fertilisers, recyclable plastics, and to establish a transfer station in a high-demand area.
He added that the success of the project would enable Lagos to decommission its largest landfills at Olusosun and Solous.
The Commissioner noted that Lagos, being a coastal city, is highly exposed to the impacts of climate change, including sea level rise, heavy rainfall, tidal lock, and flash flooding.
He stressed that government has responded by building resilient drainage systems and prosecuting individuals who build on floodplains or destroy natural ecosystems.
Mr Wahab revealed that aerial surveys show Lagos’s landmass has expanded from 3,577 square metres to 4,050 square metres due to large-scale reclamation of wetlands and lagoon areas for real estate.
He stated that government is enforcing legal requirements for Environmental Impact Assessments and drainage master plans before any reclamation project can proceed.
He emphasised that public co-operation is crucial, warning citizens against dumping waste in drainage channels, which he described as “a recipe for flooding.”