The Federal Government on Monday, July 22, 2019 in Abuja affirmed its readiness to deploy biogas for electricity generation in the country.
Dr Gloria Obioh, Head of Department of Environmental Biotechnology and Bio-conservation Department, National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA), stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
According to her, the government fabricated bio-digesters adapted to local conditions to generate 20,000MW through conversion of organic wastes.
Obioh expressed optimism that the bio-digesters produced by NABDA for electricity generation, would also create jobs and raise the country’s GDP.
“The key areas are design and fabrication of bio-digesters to local condition, local patenting of products, and contribution to organic wastes management which accounts to a minimum of 50 per cent municipal solid wastes.”
According to her, apart from enhancing food security through the utilization of bio-fertilizer to boost soil fertility, it will also create jobs across all value chains including digester fabrication, energy generation, waste management, bio-fertilizer production among others.
“There will be several spin-off industries which would contribute greatly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP),” she said.
The bio-digesters was unveiled on Tuesday while a train-the-trainer bio-entrepreneurship workshop holds on Wednesday.
She said that investment in the bio-digesters, also called Anaerobic Digestion Technology, would enhance environmental sustainability.
The Department of Environmental Biotechnology and Bio-conservation is one of the five technical departments of NABDA set up to use biotechnology responsibly to enhance quality of life without overstepping the carrying capacity of the environmental support system.
Its vision is to become an epicentre of bio-solutions to environmental and bioresources management challenges in the country.
By Gabriel Agbeja
