Lagos invests in biogas-powered buses for public transport
Introduction
The Nigerian city of Lagos is one of Africa’s largest and fastest growing cities with over 20 million inhabitants. The city’s population is expected to double by 2050, creating significant challenges for the underdeveloped transport system.
Currently, many of Lagos’s 21 million daily journeys are made by privately owned minibuses, which are operated without central planning. The system hampers economic development, restricts access to the labour market for vulnerable groups, increases safety risks (particularly for women), increases the risk of traffic accidents and is detrimental to air quality. The transport sector accounts for around 43 percent of Lagos's total greenhouse gas emissions.
Lagos State has an ambitious climate action plan, including a goal of achieving net zero emissions by 2050. The plan includes converting tonnes of solid waste generated in the metropolitan area into usable energy.
From organic waste to biogas
The Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is investing heavily in expanding the transport system to include more modes of transport (bus, train and boat) as well as diversifying fuel use from diesel to alternatives such as natural gas, biogas and electricity.
The results of a recently completed feasibility study funded by Swedfund showed that the production of biogas from organic waste represents a significant business opportunity for Lagos. This transition will improve the availability and efficiency of the transport system while reducing emissions and improving waste management, bringing significant socioeconomic benefits.
Swedfund is supporting the development of the transport system in Lagos as a way to foster economic growth, reduce carbon emissions, improve living conditions for the city’s inhabitants and promote the city’s choice of a sustainable solution to meet the city’s increased transport needs.
“We have evaluated biogas as an attractive alternative for transport in Lagos and also developed a roadmap for its implementation, including policies and a legal framework for cooperation with the private sector.”
— Abimbola Akinajo, CEO of LAMATA
Partnerships for sustainable development
As part of a broader initiative from Team Sweden to support sustainable transport development, Swedfund’s Project Accelerator has worked with LAMATA for the past two years to assist in the development of a sustainable transport system and the phasing out of diesel fuel. In an initial study, various alternative fuels were evaluated and biogas was identified as an economically and environmentally beneficial alternative.
The study involved close cooperation with the Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) and other public authorities. Since biogas has the same chemical composition as natural gas, gas buses can initially run on fossil gas and then gradually switch over to biogas.
Swedfund’s partnership with LAMATA has also been expanded to include feasibility studies on rail transport and the development of commuter train lines. These feasibility studies not only support sustainable development in Lagos, they also open up sustainable solutions for Sweden to meet the challenges that exist locally today.
The positive development of the transport system in Lagos, supported by partnerships such as those between Swedfund and LAMATA, paves the way for more sustainable and inclusive development.