The Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority, Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin, has said nearly half of the 13,000 tonnes of waste generated daily in Lagos was organic, adding that roughly 6,500 tonnes posed a serious environmental risk.

He noted this at the unveiling of a new organic waste management initiative aimed at cutting methane emissions, boosting recycling, and supporting the state’s climate action goals.

The initiative, launched in collaboration with Proganics Limited, was announced at a stakeholder forum in Lagos recently.

Gbadegesin said, “Sorting organic waste at source is critical to achieving the clean Lagos of our dreams. When sent to landfills, this waste generates methane, a greenhouse gas more harmful than CO.”

He noted that the initiative was a practical response to the governor’s COP28 pledge to reduce methane emissions and advance Lagos’s role in the global fight against climate change.

The LAWMA boss noted that LAWMA’s partner, Proganics Limited, had established a 200-tonne daily capacity organic waste facility, using Black Soldier Fly technology to convert food waste into animal feed and bio-fertilisers.

He added that LAWMA was also deploying smart waste solutions, including RFID-tagged green bins and IoT sensors, to monitor and evacuate organic waste from key locations like restaurants and event centres.

Ogee noted, “This innovation will improve operational efficiency, reduce pests and odours, and help businesses lower their waste bills.

“We are committed to lowering methane by inviting stakeholders such as those in the hospitality industry, eateries, event centres, hotels, and also manufacturers of food and beverages, who are some of the major generators of organic waste, and we’re enlisting them in the collection of this organic waste by sorting and separating it. When they have done that, we will act as an off-taker by moving it to an organic waste processing facility.

“In Lagos we have a significant portion of waste generated from domestic activities, commercial operations such as the Ikosi Fruit Market with up to 30 per cent of solid waste coming from it, industrial sources and agricultural waste. There may also be financial rebates for organisations that comply with the sorting policy. There may also be financial rebates for organisations that comply with the sorting policy.”

Meanwhile, the Head of Corporate Strategy at Proganics Limited, Augustine Ogee, highlighted the economic potential of the partnership, calling it a step towards sustainable waste management and circular economic opportunities.

“This is more than a 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.”

Also, the Head of the Climate Change Department at the Lagos State Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Dr. Michael Bankole, said the project reflected the state’s broader climate vision.

He said, “A clean city boosts public health, attracts investment, and improves quality of life.

“Organic waste is a resource, not a liability, which can drive recycling, energy generation, and food production.

“Lagos was working towards a systemic shift from landfilling to sustainable resource recovery, reinforcing that waste is not wasted in the emerging circular economy model.”

On the role of technology in all these, Gbadegesin said the technology was innovative.

Explaining further, he said, “It is something called black soldier fly technology, where black soldier flies are used to break down organic material into animal feed and biofertiliser. It’s a quite advanced technology, which is becoming more and more adopted in some developing countries like Kenya and Rwanda. And we’re introducing it to Nigeria.

“In addition, another technology innovation that we’re introducing is the containers that we use to sort; we are going to be sorting the organic waste separately. The state has smart bins, and the green smart bins are for organic waste, for food waste and organic waste.”

In her goodwill message, the National Chairperson of the Property and Environmental Writers Association of Nigeria, Okwy Iroegbu-Chikezie, commended LAWMA for innovations in Lagos’ waste management system.

She assured the support of the media in raising awareness and advocating for cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable urban environments across the state. (PUNCH)