Lagos State Government has announced that it will begin commercial production of biogas and bio‑methane, aiming to cut the state’s reliance on imported fuel and lower greenhouse‑gas emissions. A newly formed Technical Committee, made up of officials from several ministries, departments and agencies, will oversee the project.
Commissioner for Transportation Oluwaseun Osiyemi detailed the plan during a ministerial press briefing at the Alausa secretariat. He said a recent feasibility study confirmed that biogas and bio‑methane are viable alternatives to diesel for public transport and other heavy‑duty applications. Lagos generates roughly 13,000 metric tonnes of waste each day; about 45 percent of that waste is organic and can be converted into bio‑methane locally at a lower cost than imported diesel.
The Technical Committee will coordinate the steps required to move from pilot testing to full‑scale commercial production. The initiative is part of a broader state effort to reduce carbon emissions and improve environmental sustainability. Recent measures include converting 152 first‑ and last‑mile buses from petrol to compressed natural gas (CNG), launching a seven‑line electric rail network, and gradually replacing diesel with cleaner energy sources such as electricity, CNG and biogas in public transport fleets.
Since 2022, CNG‑powered buses introduced by the state have carried more than 600,000 passengers while cutting fuel costs by roughly half. In a separate 90‑day pilot, two electric buses operating on Bus Rapid Transit corridors transported over 150,000 passengers and avoided an estimated 200,000 kg of carbon emissions.
The government, through the Office of the Senior Special Assistant on Transportation and Logistics and in partnership with United Bank for Africa, has also rolled out 2,000 CNG‑powered trucks under Governor Babajide Sanwo‑Olu’s haulage reform programme. The scheme seeks to retire old, unsafe trucks that have contributed to road accidents and to promote cleaner, safer freight movement across Lagos.
Osiyemi highlighted the recent Sustainability Conference organised by the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority, which convened African city officials, development partners and transport stakeholders to discuss clean‑urban‑transport innovation and investment. He noted that events such as the E1 Sport Series and EcoMove Lagos are encouraging innovation in water transport and supporting smarter, greener mobility solutions.
The commissioner added that a growing number of e‑hailing operators are registering electric and CNG vehicles, signalling increasing market acceptance of low‑emission transport options. All of these actions align with Lagos’ THEMES Plus Agenda, which focuses on eco‑friendly transportation, emission reductions, traffic management and integrated multimodal transport systems to boost economic growth.
By turning a substantial share of its organic waste into locally produced bio‑fuel, Lagos aims to diversify its energy mix, reduce fuel import bills and set a benchmark for sustainable urban transport in Africa. The Technical Committee is expected to present a detailed rollout timetable in the coming months, marking the next phase of the state’s clean‑energy transition.
