Kayode Olanrewaju The University of Lagos (UNILAG) has reaffirmed its commitment to bolster developmental research, dynamic innovation and environmental advocacy to champion change in waste decarbonisation and co-processing technology for sustainable climate action.
For one-day, top management of the university, scholars and critical stakeholders within and outside Nigeria gathered at the Akoka, main campus of the 63-year-old ivory tower on Transformative Green Earth Seminar Series, organised under the auspices of UNILAG TETFund Centre of Excellence in Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Management (TCEBCEM), Centre for Environment Human Resources Development, UNILAG (CENHURD-UNILAG), and UNILAG Green Hub, in collaboration with Lafarge.
The seminar series with the theme: “Sustainable Climate Action in Nigeria Through Waste Decarbonization and Co-Processing Technology,” is to chart a way forward and aimed at pushing a paradigm shift of waste, a major environmental burden, to a major economic resource.
The one-day seminar held at the Rahamon Bello Hall of the institution which brought together academic, renowned scholars, industry experts/leaders, and policy makers, provided a platform for integrated action to explore system-wide solutions to advance Nigeria’s climate goals.
The event was chaired by the Group Managing Director/CEO of Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr Lolu Alade-Akinyemi, and Consul-General of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Lagos, Mr Michael Deelen.
The tone of the seminar was set by former Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics & Research) of the university; and Environment Advocate, Emeritus Professor Babajide Ibitayo Alo, who in the riveting keynote address, spoke against the backdrop of the nation’s mounting waste crisis of over 32 million tonnes generated annually with 70 per cent of this waste clogging overburdened landfills.
In his keynote address, titled: “Waste Decarbonization, Recycling and Co-Processing: Pathway towards a Sustainable Nigeria,” Prof Alo, an Emeritus Professor of Chemistry, painted a stark picture of the environmental and health implications of the current fragmented approach to waste management and climate policies in Nigeria.
With Lagos generating over 13 million tonnes of waste daily and Nigeria contributing 2.7 per cent to the global waste burden, he warned that the landfills are choking, greenhouse gas emissions are surging, while public health is under threat, flashing a haunting image of waste-strewn landscapes that left the audience stunned.
Despite this, the Emeritus Professor, however in his presentation offered a ray of hope for the country as he stressed the need to step up game-changing action through waste decarbonization and co-processing; innovative technologies that convert waste to energy, reduction of fossil fuel dependency, and slash landfill waste. “These solutions would not just clean our environment, they spark economic growth and job creation,” he stated.
The seminar, which was described as a melting pot of ideas, adopted a multi-stakeholders’ engagement approach with expert panels and technical sessions that offered credible insights into the science, economics, and policy dimensions of waste innovation; case studies which provided insights from industries in Nigeria and international benchmarks; and provided participants a chance to co-create practical solutions to the menace.
The seminar also provided key players from the academia, public and private sectors, as well as international level, the opportunity to dialogue on environmental sustainability, technological innovation, and actionable climate solutions tailored to Nigeria’s unique challenges.
In their presentations, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Management Services), Prof Lucian Chukwu; Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics and Research), Prof Bola Oboh and the Director, Entrepreneurship and Skills Development Centre (ESDC-UNILAG), Prof Sunday Adebisi underscored the pivotal role of the academia in fostering innovation.
They, however, showcased UNILAG’s commitment to waste minimisation through cuttingedge technologies designed to curb waste generation, even as Prof Oboh highlighted the university’s key initiatives to ensure effective waste management.
These, according to her, include smart bin systems, renewable energy integration into recycling facilities, and 3D printing of recyclable materials, which she described as the “Academic -Industry Partnership for Research and Development.”
