Business
Groups partner to convert waste into clean cooking gas
FREEE Recycle Limited and the Rural Women Energy Security Initiative Ltd have entered into a partnership aimed at converting recycled aerosol waste into clean cooking fuel for women in rural and peri-urban communities across Nigeria.
In a statement, the groups said the collaboration, which focused on distributing liquefied petroleum gas recovered from Nigeria’s first aerosol recycling plant, is expected to reduce energy poverty and improve environmental sustainability.
According to them, the plant was developed by FREEE Recycle in partnership with DeSpray Environmental.
Under the arrangement, FREEE Recycle will supply LPG derived from aerosol waste, while RUWES will leverage its existing nationwide network of women-led groups to ensure distribution and adoption in underserved communities.
The partnership, it was said, will also promote policy advocacy and capacity-building initiatives for women, encouraging their participation in clean energy and environmental management.
The Managing Director of FREEE Recycle, Ifedolapo Runsewe, said the partnership reflected the company’s commitment to transforming waste into useful energy resources.
“At FREEE Recycle, we are driven by the conviction that waste can be transformed into real solutions for people and the planet. This partnership with RUWES allows us to close the loop, recovering gas from aerosol waste and redirecting it to meet the pressing energy needs of women and families in underserved communities,” Runsewe stated.
She added that the initiative not only supports a circular economy but also promotes gender inclusion by positioning women as active participants in sustainable development.
Head of Secretariat of RUWES, Mrs. Jumaima Ella, said the partnership aligns with RUWES’s mission to expand access to clean energy and empower women through entrepreneurship.
“We’re a self-help, women-led NGO with over two million members across Nigeria. We empower women to demand increased access to clean energy products through our innovative Gender Social Enterprise Model. By collaborating with FREEE Recycle, we’re advancing our shared vision of a sustainable future and promoting energy security for women and families in underserved communities,” she added.
The initiative targets one of Nigeria’s most pressing public health concerns, the widespread use of firewood and unsafe fuels for cooking, which exposes women and children to harmful smoke.
According to the World Bank, more than 98,000 Nigerian women die each year from smoke inhalation linked to cooking with firewood.
The Federal Government has ordered the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, to immediately halt all enforcement actions regarding the ban on sachet alcohol and 200ml PET bottle products.
The offices of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF, and National Security Adviser, ONSA, in a joint intervention, cited grave concerns over economic stability and potential security threats as reasons for the directive.
The statement warned that continued enforcement, in the absence of a fully implemented National Alcohol Policy, could “destabilize communities, worsen unemployment, and trigger avoidable security challenges”.
According to the statement signed by Terrence Kuanum, Special Adviser on Public Affairs to the SGF, the government clarified that while the National Alcohol Policy has been signed by the Federal Ministry of Health under the direction of President Bola Tinubu, NAFDAC must refrain from sealing factories or warehouses until the policy is fully operationalized.
The statement emphasized that the current “de facto banning” of the products without a harmonized framework is creating significant disruptions.
“The continued sealing of warehouses and de facto banning of sachet alcohol products is already creating economic disruptions and poses a growing security threat, particularly given the impact on employment, supply chains, and informal distribution networks across the country,” the statement warned.
The statement further revealed that the decision was influenced by a correspondence from the House of Representatives Committee on Food and Drugs Administration and Control, dated November 13, 2025.
The letter, signed by Deputy Chairman Uchenna Harris Okonkwo, highlighted existing National Assembly resolutions that cautioned against the proposed ban.
Reaffirming a previous suspension issued in December 2025, the statement stated the need to review legislative, public health and economic factors before a final decision is reached.
“Accordingly, all actions, decisions, or enforcement measures relating to the ongoing ban on sachet alcohol are to be suspended pending the final consultations and implementation of the National Alcohol Policy and the issuance of a final directive,” the statement emphasized.
The naira continued appreciation against the United States dollar at the official foreign exchange on Tuesday.
Central Bank of Nigeria data showed that the Naira further firmed up to N 1,351.02 against the dollar on Tuesday, up from N 1,354.26 traded the previous day.
This means that on a day-to-day basis the Naira gained N3.24 against the dollar.
Similarly, at the black market, the Naira appreciated by N5 to N1450 per dollar, up from N1455.
The development comes as the apex in a notice signed by its director of the trade and exchange department, directing banks to sell a maximum of $150,000 per week to licensed Bureau De Change operators.
DAILY POST reports that the country’s external reserves remained high at $47.03 billion as of 6th February 2026.
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