ECN Organizes Sensitization Seminar on Sustainable Tannery Waste Management through Conversion of the Waste to Biogas for Generation of Electricity, Heat and Organic Manure

Energy Commission of Nigeria organized a one (1) Day Sensitization Seminar on Tuesday, 30th November, 2021 at the Royal Tropicana Hotel, Kano for tanners from all the three (3) industrial areas in Kano on sustainable tannery waste management through conversion of tannery waste to biogas for electricity generation, heat and organic manure.

Opening Ceremony

The Seminar began with the Welcome Address of the Director-General/CEO, Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN), Prof. Eli Jidere Bala, FNSE FAEng, ably represented by Director, Energy Management Department (EMD), ECN Mr. Sulu B. F. Ibrahim. The DG observed that ECN, which is mandated to coordinate national policies in the field of energy in all its ramifications as well as make recommendations for the exploitation of new sources of energy; was at the occasion coordinating relevant stakeholders to explore the exploitation of tannery waste bio-energy resources. He noted the importance of the project vis-à-vis two recent federal government policies; namely, the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP 2019) and the National Leather and Leather Products Policy Implementation Plan (2021). He went further to observe that, while the former means more raw materials for the tannery industry, the latter will result to increase in the market for tannery products, and consequently, the industry will generate more tannery waste. The concept is also expected to compliment the secondary tannery waste treatment project by the Ecological Fund Office in the same location.

Director, Energy Management Department, Sulu, B.F. Ibrahim representing the Director-General/CEO

The DG further informed the participants that the project team was consulting with Innovative Green World (IGW), Italy, based on their practical experience and the company’s representative would be making a virtual presentation during the seminar.

In his address, the Chairman, Nigerian Tanners Council, Alhaji Lawan Sule Garo pledged the support and cooperation of all tanners in the project. He stated that his own company, GB- Tannery is already collaborating with Bayero University, Kano in a pilot research of extracting biogas from tannery waste, which was actively progressing well.

The Kano State Commissioner of Environment, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim Getso in his address, overwhelmingly welcomed the project concept in view of the challenges posed by the disposal of tannery waste in the state. He stated that the project was in line with the waste management policy of Kano State Government, which recently entered into partnership with a private company to manage the solid municipal waste of Kano City. He explained that the partnership was designed for the company to collect, transport, process and convert the waste into biogas for electricity generation, organic and inorganic fertilizers. He therefore pledged the support of the Kano State Government in the tannery waste project and requested that the State government be kept updated on the progress of the project. He also thanked the federal government, via Ecological Fund Office for the construction of the secondary treatment plant for industrial waste at Challawa Industrial Estate.

An overview of the project activities was given by Mr. Ahmad Tijjani, ACSO, ECN on behalf of the Director, Energy Management Department (EMD), ECN. The history of the project concept and the development of the project proposal were highlighted as well as the subsequent involvement of the Manufacturers Power Development Company Limited (MPDCL) – a subsidiary of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN); and reaching out to some relevant MDAs such as the Ecological Funds Office (EFO), Directorate of Research, Innovation and Technology, Bayero University Kano (DRIT-BUK), National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST), Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD), etc. for collaboration.

From R - L: The Kano State Commissioner of Environment, Dr. Kabir Ibrahim Getso; the Chairman, Nigerian Tanners Council, Alhaji Lawan Sule Garo, and Director, Energy Management Department, Engr. Sulu B.F. Ibrahim

Representative of the Acting Managing Director, Manufacturers Power Development Company Limited (MPDCL) – a subsidiary of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) – spoke on the Role of MAN in the Project and also promised the full participation of MAN in the project.

The Seminar was attended by the representatives of operating tanneries, various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) which included the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development; Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST); National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA); Ecological Funds Office (EFO); Bayero University Kano (BUK); Raw Materials Research and Development Council (RMRDC). Other stakeholders included the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and the Kano State Ministry of Environment.

Technical Session

Mr. Andrew Igili, a Director at the Nigerian Institute of Leather and Science Technology (NILEST) presented a paper on Understanding Tannery Solid Waste and the National Leather and Leather Products Policy Implementation Plan.

The duo of Ismaila Thoulut and Engr. Kura Nasiru from National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) presented papers on Tannery Waste Management and the Environment.

Mr. Ikechukwu Anthony Osegbue – Principal Animal Husbandry Officer (AHO) of Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMA&RD) Department of Animal Husbandry and Production Services (AH&PS Dept.) gave an overview of the National Livestock Transformation Plan and what Opportunities for the Tannery and Leather Industry. Practical experience of Tannery Based Electricity Plant was virtually presented to the seminar audience by a representative of Innovative Green World, Italy.

Group photograph at the closing section

Similarly, representative of Directorate of Research, Innovation and Technology, Bayero University Kano (BUK) presented the ongoing BUK and GB Tannery experience in pilot conversion of the Tannery Waste to biogas.

Survey of the Tannery Waste Favourable for Biogas Production

In addition to the Seminar, a survey on tannery waste was conducted from Wednesday, 1st to Friday, 3rd December, 2021 at Challawa, Sharada and Bompai Industrial Estates. Out of the nineteen (19) tanneries said to be operating in Kano, the survey team discovered that only 13 are actually in operation and responded to the survey questionnaire while six (6) were discovered to have been permanently closed.

The survey team in collaboration with the tannery workers worked out the estimated waste quantities based on skin production and water intake data as it was discovered that most of the tanneries lacked data records of both liquid and solid wastes. Annual solid tannery waste was discovered to be about 206,485,200 kg from the annual processing of 147,192,000 skin pieces (220,788,000 kg) in the surveyed tanneries.

Papers presented at the Seminar

1. Understanding Tannery Solid Waste and the National Leather and Leather Products Implementation Plan: Development of Biogas by Igili Andrew, Focal Person, National Leather and Leather Products Policy Implementation Plan.
2. Industrial Application of Anaerobic Digestion Technology by Nurudeen Salahudeen, PhD Bayero University Kano.
3. Tannery Waste Management and the Environment by Ismaila Thoulut Anamoh National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA).
4. Overview of the National Livestock Transformation Plan (NLTP) and What Opportunities for the Tannery and Leather Industry by Anthony Ikechukwu Osegbue Department of Animal Husbandry Services, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.