• Ghana firm completes phase 1 of waste-to-fuel project
• Plant to convert 2,000 tons/day into SAF, biodiesel
• Project tackles waste, cuts emissions with clean fuel tech

F&B Bio Recyclage, a Ghanaian company, plans to turn untreated municipal waste into an energy source through a large-scale waste-to-fuel project. The firm announced in early October that it had completed the first phase of a program designed to process 2,000 tons of solid waste a day to produce sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and biodiesel.

The initial phase proved the project’s technical and commercial feasibility, which relies on gasification and the Fischer-Tropsch process to convert residues into liquid fuels.

“This project addresses two global challenges — waste management and transport decarbonization,” said Frederick Opoku Agyekum, Development Director at F&B Bio Recyclage. “Our Phase 1 completion shows we can turn trash into clean jet fuel at scale in Ghana, with clear environmental and economic benefits.”

According to the African Clean Cities Platform, over 90% of Africa’s waste ends up in uncontrolled dumpsites and is often burned in the open. Nineteen of the world’s 50 largest dumpsites are located in sub-Saharan Africa, releasing methane and black carbon that harm air quality and public health.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) estimates aviation generates 2.5% of global CO₂ emissions, while the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says sustainable aviation fuels could provide up to 65% of the cuts needed for carbon neutrality by 2050.

The Ghanaian initiative is part of a growing regional trend. In Sierra Leone, Climate Fund Managers and Infinitum Energy Group are developing a 30 MW waste-to-energy plant in Freetown, expected to convert 365,000 tons of waste a year into 236.5 GWh of renewable power.

The French Institute of International Relations (IFRI) forecasts that annual municipal waste production in sub-Saharan Africa could triple by 2050, reaching 516 million tons, underscoring the growing importance of waste-to-energy projects in the region’s urban and climate strategies.

Abdoullah Diop