Lagos launches Ikosi fruit market biodigester to turn organic waste into energy and fertilizer

Lagos State has inaugurated the Ikosi Fruit Market Biodigester Plant, a waste-to-energy facility developed in partnership with C40 Cities to convert organic waste into biogas for cooking, electricity and fertilizer production. Located at the Ketu Fruit Market, the project forms part of the state government’s broader push to improve waste management and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through circular economy measures.

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources Tokunbo Wahab described the facility as a major achievement for both the Ikosi community and the state. He said the project demonstrates how Lagos can transform everyday challenges into opportunities.
According to Wahab, the plant will collect organic waste generated daily at the market and process it in an anaerobic digester, where bacteria break down the material in an oxygen-free environment to produce biogas and biofertilizer.

He added that the initiative reflects a wider ambition for Lagos and is being implemented with support from C40 Cities and UK International Development under the Climate Action Implementation Programme. The partnership, he said, shows the state’s commitment to turning global climate pledges into practical action at the community level.

Markets such as Ikosi generate large volumes of organic waste, including fruit peels, vegetable scraps and unsold produce. In the past, much of this waste ended up in landfills or open dumps, blocking drains, creating unpleasant smells, posing health risks and releasing methane, a greenhouse gas linked to climate change. Wahab said the new facility addresses this long-standing environmental problem.
Anthony Okoth, Regional Director for Africa at C40 Cities, welcomed the project, noting that the biodigester would process waste directly at the market. He added that the organisation works with several cities across Africa and that the collaboration with Lagos is helping tackle sanitation, waste management and climate concerns.

Vice Chairman Olayinka Ogunleye, representing the Mayoress of Ikosi-Isheri LCDA, Abolanle Bada, praised the state government and C40 Cities for choosing Ikosi as one of the beneficiaries of the initiative.