The Lagos State Government has shared exciting news! The Netherlands government is giving €120 million to help Lagos turn its waste into energy. They are working with a company from the Netherlands called Harvest Waste Consortium.
This information was given by Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, during an interview with Newslodge. Wahab talked about the many partnerships Lagos has with foreign companies to manage waste better.
Wahab said this project will change trash into electricity. They will do this at the old Epe landfill. Harvest Waste will process 2,500 to 3,000 tons of trash each day from the 13,000 to 14,000 tons Lagos produces daily.
He said that the only thing the company needs is a steady supply of waste, which is not a problem for Lagos since the city creates a lot of trash every day.
“The waste-to-energy project with the Dutch company Harvest Waste is supported by the Dutch government with about €120 million, and we have chosen the old Epe landfill for this project,” Wahab stated.
He added, “We will provide them 2,500 to 3,000 tons of waste from the daily 13,000 to 14,000 tons Lagos produces.”
The commissioner also mentioned that Harvest Waste has finished the studies to see if the project will work. They are ready and committed to making this project successful.
Closing Old Landfills and Other Exciting Waste Projects in Lagos
Wahab mentioned that Lagos is closing down some old landfills to make space for new waste projects. They are working with foreign companies like the Jospong Group and Closing the Loop.
The Jospong Group is from Accra and focuses on turning waste into useful things like compost fertilizers and plastic bins. They have already started, with the necessary equipment in place and operations expected to begin in six to seven months. They even have an office in Lagos and have hired Nigerians for the job.
Wahab also talked about Closing the Loop, a Dutch company, which will take care of electronic waste in Lagos. Instead of sending the waste abroad, they will create a facility in Lagos to process it here.
He added that big dumpsites like Olusosun and Solous 1, 2, and 3 are almost closed and new landfills are being prepared for these new projects.
When everything is working, the government thinks only 3% to 4% of Lagos’ waste will end up in landfills. This is part of their goal to turn waste into useful resources and make the city greener and more sustainable.