-Seeks partnership with high return on investment
By Samuel Ogunsona reporting from Dubai
The Lagos State Government has announced plans to build a waste to energy project estimated to cost $400million.
The project will be the first and the largest in West Africa sub region. It is expected to employ no fewer than 20,000 direct and indirect labour.
It is expected to significantly improve power supply in Africa’s biggest economy.
The Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Dr. Muyiwa Gbadegesin spoke while attending the COP28 in Dubai revealed to local and international audience.
Irohinoodua was at the event held in Dubai on Sunday.
Dr. Gbadegesin who was the former Commissioner for Health in Osun state said Lagos with a population of over twenty-two million people generate thirteen thousand (13,000) tones of waste daily which looks like a problem but a huge opportunity if managed properly.
He said, “We have 22 million people and generate 13,000 tones of waste daily, where we have this huge challenge are also huge opportunities and that is why we are here today.”
Dr. Gbadegesin presented the project pre-visibility studies at the event and also noted that the huge plant will be built in Epe local government area which is a fast growing area of the state and an opportunity to invest in the region.
“The plan we have for waste disposal is to build waste to energy plant which will be located in Epe
“The reason we have prioritised Epe is because it is among the fastest growing area of the state and it is an opportunity to build a modern waste management system in such area,” he added.
Furthermore, he stressed that LAWMA will introduce the use of tricycles for waste collection in some communities in Epe and Ibeju-Lekki.
He said, “We are introducing solutions to different areas. In a place like Epe and Ibeju-Lekki, we find that many of the communities are not easily penetrated so we have decided to introduce the use of tricycles for waste collection.”
He said “In a place where we have a free trade zone and airports, we will need a means of waste disposal in the area and we believe that the new waste to energy plant will be a valuable infrastructure for the future.
“The study has also shown that a Public Private Partnership arrangement is most viable and there is interest for investors and the estimate is that we will require about $400million carpet,” Dr. Gbadegesin explained.