Lagos Targets Methane Reduction with New Organic Waste Management Initiative
Kehinde Adeleye
The Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) has unveiled a new organic waste management initiative aimed at reducing methane emissions, boosting recycling, and advancing the state’s climate action goals.
The initiative, developed in partnership with Proganics Limited, was announced at a stakeholder forum held on Friday, September 19, in Lagos. It seeks to address the mounting challenge of organic waste, which accounts for nearly half of the 13,000 tonnes generated in the state daily.
LAWMA Managing Director/CEO, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, said about 6,500 tonnes of daily waste in Lagos is organic, posing environmental and public health risks. He described the programme as a direct response to Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s COP28 pledge to reduce methane emissions and align Lagos with global climate goals.
According to Gbadegesin, Proganics Limited has established a 200-tonne-per-day organic waste facility powered by Black Soldier Fly (BSF) technology, which converts food waste into animal feed and bio-fertilisers. He added that LAWMA was rolling out smart solutions, including RFID-tagged green bins and IoT sensors, to track and evacuate organic waste from high-volume areas such as restaurants and event centres.
“This innovation will improve operational efficiency, reduce pests and odours, and help businesses lower their waste bills. There may also be financial rebates for organisations that comply with the sorting policy,” he said.
Head of Corporate Strategy at Proganics Limited, Mr. Augustine Ogee, highlighted the economic potential of the initiative, calling it a blueprint for sustainable waste management.
“This is more than waste collection; it’s about building value chains that support jobs, food security, and environmental protection. It’s a scalable model for cities across Nigeria,” Ogee said.
Dr. Michael Bankole, Head of the Climate Change Department at the Lagos State Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources, said the initiative was aligned with Lagos’s broader climate vision.
“Organic waste is a resource, not a liability, which can drive recycling, energy generation, and food production. Waste is not wasted in a circular economy,” he noted.
In her goodwill message, Mrs. Chikezie Iroegbu, National Chairperson of the Property and Environmental Writers Association of Nigeria (PEWAN), praised LAWMA’s innovation and pledged media support in raising awareness for sustainable urban living.
The forum, which brought together stakeholders from the hospitality, food and beverage industries, and academia, was the first in a series of planned engagements across Lagos.
