Oyo Advances Environmental Reforms Through Strategic Rwanda Study Visit

The Oyo State Government has taken a significant step toward implementing the bilateral study cooperation agreement between Oyo State and the Government of Rwanda on water and sanitation operational models.

Following the earlier visit of the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde, to Rwanda for preliminary bilateral talks aimed at exploring areas of mutual benefit, a delegation from the Oyo State Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and the Oyo State Solid Waste Management Authority (OYOWMA) embarked on a collaborative study visit to understudy Rwanda’s water and sanitation operational framework.

The delegation, led by the Honourable Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Hon. Ademola Aderinto, conducted facility inspections and held strategic engagements in Kigali as part of efforts to deepen institutional cooperation and strengthen knowledge exchange between both Governments.

A major highlight of the visit was the inspection of the Masaka Faecal Sludge Treatment Plant currently under construction. The facility is designed to treat faecal sludge for the production of fertilizers for agricultural use, as well as water suitable for agricultural and other non-potable purposes. The generated water can also be further treated for human consumption or food processing where feasible, an option still under consideration by Rwandan authorities.

Hon. Ademola Aderinto noted that the initiative aligns with Oyo State’s present need to develop sustainable and environmentally friendly methods for waste management. He added that Rwanda’s achievement of supplying water to about 90 percent of its citizens further underscores the importance of the collaboration, stressing that Oyo State will gradually begin to implement lessons learned from the study.

The delegation also visited Nduba, where they inspected the operational Nduba dumpsite and the Nduba Sanitary Landfill currently under construction. During the inspection, the team observed sorting and recovery infrastructure in operation, including the production of fertilizer generated from processed waste, and studied the engineering model being deployed for the sanitary landfill, which is expected to be completed before the end of the year.

The delegation also visited the Rwanda Environmental Management Authority (REMA), where they were received by the Deputy Director General, Munyazikwiye Faustin. The team was briefed on the Authority’s regulatory operations and environmental management framework, providing insights into Rwanda’s mechanisms for enforcing environmental standards and ensuring sustainable waste and water management practices.

Hon. Ademola Aderinto thanked the Deputy Director General for the opportunity to learn from Rwanda’s regulatory model, emphasizing that the knowledge gained would help strengthen Oyo State’s environmental governance, particularly in solid and liquid waste management, sanitation infrastructure, and public health improvement across the State.

The Honourable Commissioner was accompanied on the visit by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Dr. Sunday Ojelabi, Special Assistant to the Governor on Environment, Mr. Kazeem Lamidi, Chairman, Oyo State Solid Waste Management Authority, Mr. Adeniyi Waheed Akanbi, Director of Environmental Engineering, Engr. Mukailia Oladipupo, Director of Engineering Services, OYOWMA, Engr. Wale Afolabi, and Mr. Saheed Falowo.

E-Signed:

Prince Dotun Oyelade

Hon. Commissioner for Information,

Oyo State.