Lagos State has launched a biodigester plant at Ikosi Fruit Market to convert organic market waste into energy and fertilizer.
The disclosure was made by the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, via his official X account on Monday.
The project was delivered through a partnership with C40 Cities and support from UK International Development.
The plant is designed to convert fruit and vegetable waste into biogas for cooking and electricity, and fertilizer for farmers, the state government noted.
What they are saying
Wahab said the project addressed a long-standing environmental challenge in the Ikosi community. He noted that the market generates tons of organic waste daily, including fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, and unsold produce, much of which previously ended up in drains and dumpsites.
- “Today, I had the privilege of launching and handing over the Ikosi Fruit Market Biodigester Plant, delivered in partnership with @c40cities and with support from UK International Development under the Climate Action Implementation programme.”
- “Every day, Ikosi Fruit Market generates tons of organic waste, fruit peels, vegetable trimmings, unsold produce. In the past, much of this ended up in dumpsites and road medians, clogging drains, creating health risks, and releasing methane into the atmosphere.”
- “Today, that same waste will be fed into an anaerobic digester where it will be converted into biogas for cooking and electricity, as well as nutrient-rich biofertilizer for farmers. This is the circular economy in action.”
He added that the project aligns with Lagos’ broader goal of building a resilient and resource-efficient city through visible, community-level climate actions.
Lagos’ broader waste-to-energy strategy
Lagos has partnered with foreign firms to tackle specialized waste streams and scale up energy recovery alongside local projects like the Ikosi biodigester.
- The state entered agreements with two Dutch companies—Closing the Loop and Harvest Waste Consortium—and Accra-based Jospong Group.
- Closing the Loop was tasked with managing electronic waste and planned to establish a local facility to reduce exportation and repurpose materials.
Wahab had earlier, in October 2024, revealed that Lagos secured a €120 million commitment from the Netherlands to support its ongoing project with Harvest Waste Consortium, which is expected to convert 2,500–3,000 tons of municipal solid waste into electricity daily.
In July 2025, the Lagos State Government announced plans for a $400 million Waste-to-Energy plant in Epe, aimed at tackling waste, supplying electricity to two million residents, and reducing flooding. The project is planned to be privately operated and is expected to deliver a 12% IRR over 20 years.
What you should know
Markets like Ikosi generate large volumes of organic waste daily, much of which bypasses formal collection. This contributes to blocked drainage channels, sanitation risks, and environmental pressure.
- About 80% of landfill capacity in Lagos was nearly exhausted.
- Only 63% of households were covered by formal waste collection.
- An estimated 67% of households resorted to illegal dumping.
Market waste, including food remnants and unsold produce, was a major contributor to organic waste volumes.
The Ikosi biodigester is part of a broader waste-to-energy strategy, linking local waste reduction with state-level projects like the planned Epe WTE plant.
