The Chief Executive Officer of SMEFUNDS, Dr. Femi Oye, has praised Côte d’Ivoire for turning cocoa and rubber waste into clean electricity and is calling on Nigeria to follow suit by using its farm waste to power homes, boost rural income, and cut emissions.
This comes after a $3 million deal between local energy company SODEN and Dutch investor Climate Fund Managers (CFM) to build the world’s first national grid-connected biomass power plant in Divo, Côte d’Ivoire.
The plant, scheduled to be completed by 2029, will use 600,000 tonnes of cocoa shells, pods, off-grade beans, and rubber waste to produce 550 GWh of electricity every year, enough to power thousands of homes.
Oye described the Ivorian project as a “powerful testament to Africa’s ingenuity and our collective commitment to a sustainable future.”
He said agricultural waste has long been seen as a problem, but can be turned into a resource that benefits farmers and the environment.
“What truly excites me about the Côte d’Ivoire model is its holistic impact,” he said.
According to him, it tackles waste and emissions and creates jobs and new income streams for farmers, many of whom currently throw away tonnes of unused crop residues.
The agricultural angle is key. Every harvest season, Nigeria produces huge amounts of cassava peels, rice husks, maize stalks, and palm oil waste, most of which end up in landfills or are burned in open fields.
These same byproducts could instead be used to generate clean, reliable energy, especially in rural areas that still lack stable power.
SMEFUNDS has already proven the concept with its clean energy work in Nigeria. The group has developed bio-ethanol cooking fuel from sawdust and water hyacinth, helping rural communities reduce their dependence on harmful firewood and kerosene.
Oye believes this small-scale success can be expanded nationally if Nigeria takes cues from Côte d’Ivoire.
“Imagine the transformative impact if Nigeria were to replicate such projects across its major agricultural hubs,” Oye said.
“Our farmers could gain additional income streams by selling their agricultural residues.”
He added that the economic benefits go beyond the power plants themselves. Jobs would be created in waste collection, processing, and plant operations.
Communities would benefit from more stable electricity. Local economies would grow, and all while protecting the environment.
Nigeria’s potential is enormous. Like Côte d’Ivoire, it grows cocoa but also cultivates a broader mix of crops.
Oye urged Nigeria’s government and private sector to create “an enabling environment” for investment in biomass projects and clean energy.
He also called attention to the Ivorian government’s wider clean energy strategy.
Alongside the Divo project, they’ve launched other biomass plants, like the 46 MW plant in Aboisso powered by palm oil waste, and another in Boundiali using cotton stalks.
These are all part of Côte d’Ivoire’s plan to generate 45% of its electricity from renewables by 2030, including 12% from biomass and solar.
“The sheer volume of agricultural output in countries like Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria presents an incredible opportunity,” Oye noted. “This is not just about generating electricity; it’s about transforming agricultural landscapes, empowering rural communities, and building a more resilient and sustainable energy future for all of Africa.”
He said SMEFUNDS is ready to work with governments, investors, and communities to bring this vision to life, starting with Nigeria’s farms.
