LAGOS/Nigeria: Lagos State has launched a new initiative to convert used cooking oil into an economic resource, training youths, waste pickers and market women on how to safely collect and manage the waste as part of efforts to promote environmental sustainability and create new income opportunities.
The programme, organised by the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA) in partnership with Ororo Waste Management, targets grassroots participants expected to play a key role in reducing pollution caused by the indiscriminate disposal of used cooking oil while supporting the state’s circular economy agenda.
The two-day capacity-building workshop, which began on Thursday at the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) Building in Alausa, Ikeja, focuses on practical skills in the collection, handling and management of used cooking oil (UCO). Twenty-three participants, including Hausa and Yoruba speakers, attended the opening session.
Addressing participants, General Secretary of the Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN), Alhaji Suleiman Adama, described the initiative as a significant step towards expanding waste management beyond the conventional collection of plastics, cartons and scrap metals.
Speaking in both Hausa and English, Adama said the programme introduces waste pickers to a new area of environmental services with the potential to improve livelihoods while protecting the environment.
He explained that WAPAN serves as the national umbrella body for waste pickers, promoting their welfare and encouraging environmentally responsible waste management practices across the country.
According to him, the partnership between LASEPA and Ororo Waste Management represents the first structured used cooking oil collection programme designed specifically for members of the association.
Adama said the initiative would help reduce environmental pollution associated with the improper disposal of used cooking oil while providing participants with an additional source of income.
He noted that although the programme is in its early stages, information gathered from the project would help measure its long-term environmental benefits by tracking the volume of used cooking oil recovered instead of being discharged into drains or the environment.
The WAPAN official also stressed the need for sustained public awareness campaigns to discourage the repeated use of degraded cooking oil and educate residents on the health and environmental risks associated with poor disposal practices.
He disclosed that households and food vendors who participate in the collection programme would receive incentives from Ororo Waste Management, describing the reward system as a practical strategy for encouraging wider public participation.
Adama further appealed for increased government support through the provision of operational tools, personal protective equipment (PPE), tricycles and other logistics to improve the efficiency and safety of waste pickers.
Participants welcomed the initiative, saying it had exposed them to new economic opportunities within the waste management value chain.
Mr. Ishola Abdulateef Olamilekan said the training had deepened his understanding of the commercial and environmental value of used cooking oil, adding that the knowledge acquired would improve his business and contribute to environmental cleanliness.
Another participant, Yusuf Abdullahi from Katsina State, thanked the Lagos State Government for supporting the initiative, saying the programme had broadened his knowledge of proper used cooking oil collection and recycling.
Also speaking, Nafiu Umaru from Kebbi State described the training as enlightening, noting that it had equipped participants with practical skills that would support environmental sustainability while opening up new avenues for income generation.
