Lagos govt, NGO launch market biodigester plant in Ikosi
The Lagos State government and a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the C40 Cities, have launched and handed over the iconic Ikosi Fruit Market’s biodigester plant for converting generated organic wastes into
The Lagos State government and a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the C40 Cities, have launched and handed over the iconic Ikosi Fruit Market’s biodigester plant for converting generated organic wastes into energy.
During the launch and handover of the plant, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tokunbo Wahab, said the facility is a resounding success for the Ikosi community, the state and for generations to come.
The commissioner said Lagos State and C40 Cities were not inaugurating a facility but unveiling a vision on how Lagos could turn the everyday challenges into powerful opportunities.
He said the biogas plant represented a bold step in re-imagining waste, not as a burden but as a valuable resource that could drive sustainability, resilience and inclusive growth.
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Wahab stressed that the bio-gas would be used for electricity and cooking gas, while the high-quality organic fertiliser could be packaged and sold back to the local farmers to strengthen the resilience of the food system by improving the soils, closing the nutrient loop and promoting sustainable agriculture.
The commissioner stated that the facility would systematically collect the market’s organic waste and feed it into an anaerobic digester.
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He explained that in this controlled environment, natural bacteria would break down the waste without oxygen to produce biogas.
Wahab explained that by doing so, there would be a remarkable process of biological transformation that yields two invaluable products - biogas and biofertiliser.
He said: “The project goes far beyond Ikosi. It reflects a much bigger ambition for Lagos State. The initiative is being implemented in partnership with C40 Cities and UK International Development under the Climate Action Implementation programme.
“Through this collaboration, Lagos continues to show leadership by translating international climate commitments into practical, community-level action.”
Wahab described the biogas plant as more than machinery and pipes but a symbol of transformation.
The commissioner said the launch was an affirmation of a simple but powerful truth: the future of sustainable cities is built not only in the boardrooms and policy documents but right in the markets, communities and in the daily activities of all.
He explained that the Ikosi fruit market daily generated tonnes of organic waste from fruit peels to vegetable trimmings to unsold produce just like many markets across the state.
Wahab said the materials traditionally ended up in landfills or open dumps.
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The commissioner noted that the wastes clogged the drains, created unpleasant odours, posed serious health risks and added to the growing waste problems in the city.
According to him, when these wastes decompose, they release methane, a highly potent greenhouse gas that contributes significantly to climate change and degrades the environment and undermines public health.
Wahab said the project had transformed a long-standing problem into a practical solution.
He explained that instead of rotting in dumps, the organic wastes from the market would be converted into clean, sustainable biogas for cooking and electricity.
Wahan stressed that they would also produce nutrient-rich organic fertiliser that could be used on the farms.
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The commissioner described this as a circular economy in action.
The C40 Cities Regional Director for Africa, Mr. Anthony Okoth, expressed appreciation and gratitude for the completion of the project.
He said the biodigester would treat and convert wastes from the market into useful purposes.
According to him, C40 Cities collaborates with other 14 countries around Africa with Lagos as the biggest of the cities.
He said the collaboration was working to address sanitation waste matter and climate change issues
The Mayoress of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Princess Abolanle Bada, who was represented by the Vice Chairman, Olayinka Ogunleye, expressed appreciation to the Lagos State government and C40 Cities for choosing Ikosi as a beneficiary of the project.
