Education
NGO, UniAbuja launch facility to reduce methane emissions from organic waste – EnviroNews
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The Green Knowledge Foundation (GKF) and the University of Abuja have unveiled an organic Material Recovery Facility (MRF) to address the issue of methane emissions caused by the millions of tonnes of organic waste generated in Nigeria each year.
The project, according to the two bodies, represents a bold, scalable model for transforming waste into wealth. It also demonstrates how the country can simultaneously tackle environmental degradation and food insecurity, as well as economic vulnerability, at the same time.
During the initiative’s official launch on Monday, July 6, 2026, at the University of Abuja Teaching and Research Farm, Executive Director of the GKF, Weyinmi Okotie, stated that its goal was to position Nigeria as a leader in climate-smart agriculture and sustainable waste management.
By integrating circular economy principles with climate-smart agriculture, he pointed out that the MRF “demonstrates an innovative, university-led model for methane reduction, resource recovery, and green job creation”.
In addition to keeping organic waste out of landfills, Okotie said, the facility will help mitigate climate change and promote sustainable agricultural development by supporting research, innovation, income generation, student learning, farmer capacity building, and community engagement.
The head of GKF thanked the University of Abuja’s management for the chance to work with his organisation, noting that the project would help shift the public’s view of waste as just an environmental problem and highlight the opportunities within sustainable waste management.
The vice chancellor of the University of Abuja, Professor Hakeem Fawehinmi, said at the ceremony that the project’s commissioning is a significant achievement that demonstrates the institution’s commitment to research, innovation, and community development.
Professor Fawehinmi, represented at the event by Professor Muhammad Ndagi, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration), hinted that the GKF model can reduce environmental issues and create various economic opportunities for many Nigerians.
He acknowledged that, with the right guidance, what many consider waste can truly be turned into wealth, as GKF has shown with this project.
“Today, Green Knowledge Foundation has shown us that what we considered waste can actually become wealth,” the vice-chancellor stated.
The university’s helmsman continued by revealing that the agreement was one of the first memoranda of understanding (MoUs) he signed immediately after assuming office, guaranteeing that his institution will continue to support partnerships that advance waste-to-wealth initiatives.
Consequently, the vice-chancellor urged the students to take advantage of the free training opportunities provided through the facility to enable them to become entrepreneurs and employers of green jobs.
He strongly feels that by the time the students graduate from school, they should be employers of labour rather than job seekers since, in his opinion, this is not just about someone giving you fish; rather, they are teaching you how to fish.
Also speaking at the occasion, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Professor Akeem Oyerinde, said the project demonstrated how research and innovation could provide practical solutions to environmental degradation and agricultural challenges.
Prof. Oyerinde informed that when the idea was first conceptualised, many people doubted whether insects could successfully convert waste into useful products. A notion that this facility has countered by showing that organic waste could be transformed into commercially valuable resources through scientific innovation.
“This project provides an opportunity to create wealth while protecting the environment by reducing waste accumulation and promoting sustainable agricultural practices,” he asserts.
Jawad Ahmed, who represented the informal waste workers, praised GKF for including his community in the project design, which he said has improved their understanding of proper waste management.
Ahmed added that the initiative has also provided them with better opportunities to contribute to the circular economy by handling waste properly, which they couldn’t do before the advent of the project.
“But through this project we are learning better and more sustainable ways of carrying out our work,” he testified.
The initiative’s four main components – a composting facility, a black soldier fly farm, a training and knowledge hub, and a zero-waste education centre – are designed to encourage sustainability, foster environmental stewardship among communities, and inspire behavioural change.
It is supported by the Global Methane Hub and the Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives as a proof of concept for how integrated waste management systems can promote economic resilience, food security, and climate action in Nigeria and beyond.
By Etta Michael Bisong, Abuja
