The Osun State Government has trained youths and women across the state on waste-to-energy conversion as part of efforts to promote income generation and environmental sustainability.
The Director General and Special Envoy to the Osun State Governor on Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Prof. Chinwe Obuaku-Igwe, disclosed this on Friday during a one-day training programme organised by the state government for selected youths and women drawn from local government areas across the state, held in Osogbo.
Obuaku-Igwe explained that the training was designed to empower youths and women by equipping them with skills to convert waste into useful products and generate income.
She noted that youths and women remain among the most vulnerable groups in society and that they contribute distinct capacities to community development, with youths bringing ideas and women contributing innovation and communal strength.
According to her, these groups are also the most affected by the impact of climate change, adding that the state government has prioritised them not only in climate adaptation and mitigation efforts but also in revenue generation through green entrepreneurship.
Obuaku-Igwe stated that the programme targets 1,000 youths and women across the state, explaining that the training was the second batch of the inaugural programme that commenced in August.
She said the first phase focused on waste-to-wealth, while the current phase concentrates on waste-to-energy conversion.
Obuaku-Igwe added that the objective of the training was to shift participants from a linear economy to a circular economy by helping them understand that waste is a resource capable of improving environmental cleanliness, enhancing well-being, and creating income opportunities.
The director general further explained that the training emphasised the complex and multifaceted benefits of waste, particularly in energy generation, noting that it differed from the earlier session, which focused mainly on the basics of waste-to-wealth.
She urged residents of the state to cooperate with the government on climate action initiatives, stating that such projects have the capacity to generate carbon revenue and improve Osun State’s compliance with global climate change standards.
Also speaking at the event, the co-founder of Waste-Swap, Taiwo Adewole, explained that participants were trained on converting various types of waste, including nylon, plastics, used tyres, animal waste, and toilet waste, into energy products such as gas and diesel.
Adewole stated that the training involved practical demonstrations on how waste materials could be processed locally using accessible technology to produce cleaner and cheaper energy, adding that the process could be replicated across local governments, associations, and cooperatives.
He noted that the technology used was locally developed and did not require importation, stressing that the initiative would help reduce environmental pollution, provide raw materials for production, create employment opportunities, and support agricultural activities through the use of generated energy and by-products.
