Yaba College of Technology has launched its Plastogas Hub, a plastic-to-gas and upcycling facility aimed at reducing plastic waste, promoting environmental sustainability, and creating jobs for students and neighbouring communities.
The hub was unveiled on Wednesday at the Lagos campus of the institution and was described by stakeholders as a model for community-driven waste management, clean energy production, and skills development.
Speaking at the launch, Dr Lauretta Ofodile, Team Lead of the hub, said the initiative was born from a shared vision to tackle plastic pollution within Yaba College of Technology and its surrounding communities.
“This project is called the Yaba Tech Plastic Waste Hub. It is an initiative that has come out of a shared dream for the sustainable management of plastic in Yaba College of Technology and its entire environment,” Ofodile said.
She explained that the hub focuses on reducing plastic waste, educating the community, and working toward what she described as complete environmental sustainability.
According to her, neighbouring communities including Yaba, Bariga, and Somolu are key partners in the project, contributing plastic waste and participating in training and awareness activities.
The facility converts plastic waste into cooking gas, while the residue from the process is upcycled into useful products such as paving stones, plates, cups, and briquettes.
Ofodile noted that the hub also serves as a learning and training centre that is open to students, artisans, and members of the public.
She revealed that the initiative became possible after the team secured a grant from the French Embassy in Nigeria in 2024.
“We started this project, which is all about the sustainable collection of plastic through smart collection, shredding, breaking it down, and then using it for gas production,” she said.
Eno-Obong Sampson, Project Coordinator of the French Embassy Fund, described the launch as a milestone in the effort to fight plastic pollution.
She said the hub would support capacity development, research, and community awareness on sustainable waste management practices.
Representing the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, the Deputy Rector, Lawal Adefemi, said the project aligns with the institution’s waste to wealth vision.
Adefemi added that residents who bring plastic waste to the hub are rewarded with money based on the volume contributed, while the initiative is expected to create jobs, improve public health, build skills, and serve as a scalable sustainability model across Nigeria.
