The Lagos State Government has announced plans to establish three waste-to-energy plants
as part of efforts to address the state’s growing waste management challenges and improve electricity generation.
The proposed facilities will be located at the Olusosun, Epe and Badagry dumpsites, according to the state Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab.
Wahab disclosed the plans at a Waste-to-Energy Summit themed ‘Driving Environmental Sustainability’, where stakeholders discussed ways to tackle environmental challenges through sustainable waste management.
Represented by the Managing Director of the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr Muyiwa Gbadegesin, the commissioner explained that the initiative would reduce the volume of waste deposited at landfills, minimise environmental hazards and promote the conversion of waste into useful resources.
He noted that the Olusosun landfill, which was originally established outside the main urban area, had become increasingly surrounded by residential and commercial developments as Lagos expanded.
According to him, the growing pressure on the state’s waste management system has made it necessary to adopt more sustainable approaches, including recycling, composting and energy generation.
The government also plans to develop composting and biogas facilities at some of the sites to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.
Wahab said the state was already working towards decommissioning the Olusosun landfill, stressing that the process would follow international best practices to address its long-term environmental and health implications.
The proposed waste-to-energy facilities are expected to form part of a broader strategy to transform waste management in Lagos and reduce dependence on conventional disposal methods.
The initiative comes as Lagos continues to explore partnerships with private sector organisations and international technology companies to improve electricity generation through sustainable waste management.
In a separate development, the state government has also held discussions with Siemens Group over possible collaboration on waste-to-energy projects.
Lagos generates thousands of tonnes of municipal solid waste daily, making effective waste collection, treatment and disposal a major challenge for the state.
By converting some of this waste into electricity and other useful products, the government hopes to address two major challenges simultaneously: environmental pollution and the growing demand for energy.
