LAMATA to deploy gas-powered buses by year-end

In a bid to promote a cleaner and more sustainable transportation system, the Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA) is set to deploy buses powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) in the last quarter of the year.

The development was announced at a stakeholder engagement programme on Friday, where the final report of a feasibility study on alternative fuels for public transportation was presented.

The study, a collaborative effort between CPCS Transcom Limited and Nexant Consulting, explored various alternative fuel options and identified biogas as the most suitable source of usable biomethane.

The event was attended by top officials from the environment, transportation, and energy sectors, including the Commissioner for Transportation, Seun Osiyemi; Managing Director of Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Muyiwa Gbadegesin; General Manager of Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Babatunde Ajayi; and representatives from Oando Clean Energy Limited, Ibile Oil and Gas Corporation, and Lagos State Waste Water Management office.

The feasibility study presented at the programme revealed that the biogas plant will utilise various feedback sources to generate fuel.

These sources include sewage from treatment facilities, organic waste from households and markets, slaughterhouse waste, and animal manure.

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The study also outlined the key stages of the project: Feedstock acquisition and transportation, storage and processing, biogas production, and integration with the public bus system.

The Managing Director of LAMATA, Abimbola Akinajo, reiterated the agency’s commitment to creating a sustainable transportation system in Lagos.

Drawing inspiration from her visit to Linköping, Sweden, a city with zero carbon emissions, Ms Akinajo emphasised the significance of adopting biogas as a clean energy source.

She noted that LAMATA’s biogas project aligns with the state’s climate action plan, highlighting the agency’s dedication to collaboration, knowledge sharing, and stakeholder involvement in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.