Waste represents a significant and underutilised resource for renewable and clean energy generation in Nigeria. The 62nd Power Dialogue sought to examine the feasibility of waste-to-power as an effective waste management strategy.
Nigeria ranks as one of Africa’s major waste producers, and only a meagre per cent of waste is collected and recycled. Speaking at the dialogue, Ugbor Terseer, Director, Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling (ARBR), noted that the Extended Producer Responsibility Programme (EPRP) initiated by the federal government mandates manufacturers, importers and distributors to take back their end-of-life products from the environment. However, he noted that the primary challenge of waste in the country is municipal waste, which should be a responsibility of local governments.
According to Olufunto Borroffice, Managing Director, Chanja Datti Ltd, one of the principal challenges hindering effective waste management processes in Nigeria is lacking the needed infrastructure. In addition, several communities rely on the informal waste collection processes carried out by a group of persons (Bolla Bolla). She emphasised that the government and the private sectors should devise ways to incorporate these informal collections into a formal and more organised process. With adequate financing, recycling companies can purchase the right infrastructure, which can also provide employment.
Feasibility of Waste-to-Power in Nigeria
Safiya Aliyu, General Manager, SOSAI Renewable Energies, noted that waste is not only in solid or municipal forms, but energy not used efficiently is also a form of waste as it increases the cost of providing energy, it also reduces the number of persons that can have access to energy and decreases the acceptance of renewable energy solutions because they lack the understanding of the benefits of energy to them.
She further added that there is huge feasibility of waste-to-power in the country, although there is a lack of the appropriate technology to drive the process.
Given the energy deficit in the country and challenges around electricity generation through thermal plants, the government should look into the technologies utilised by other countries that carry out waste-to-power processes, make adequate plans and finance projects that would incorporate waste-to-power technologies in Nigeria.