Netzence Sustainability Limited has reacted to a recent UNICEF report that over 120,000 Nigerian children die each year from air pollution-related diseases, saying better waste management could transform a national challenge into an economic opportunity.

In a statement, the company linked poor waste practices to problems such as flooding in Lagos and argued that investment in methane capture could convert harmful emissions into energy, revenue, and jobs.

“In Nigeria today, children are on the frontlines of climate neglect. Over 120,000 Nigerian children die each year from air pollution-related diseases (UNICEF), while the World Bank warns that climate change could slash 30% of crop yields by 2050.

“Already, 25 million Nigerians face food insecurity due to droughts, floods, and rising temperatures. The silent driver behind much of this crisis is methane – one of the deadliest but most ignored greenhouse gases,” the statement read.

The firm noted that livestock waste is a major source of methane and that Nigeria loses millions of tonnes annually that could otherwise be captured for energy and carbon credits.

“At Lagos’ Agege slaughterhouse, a field team from Netzence Sustainability Limited recorded methane concentrations of 364 ppm near feeding pens and 400 ppm at manure sites. Each measurement is a signal of lost opportunity,” the company said.

Through its initiative, CloseCarbon, Netzence said it is working to capture and convert methane into verified, blockchain-traceable credits.

“For abattoirs and herders, this means waste can shift from a sanitation headache into a profitable, investor-ready asset,” the statement added.

The company highlighted that Nigeria slaughters millions of livestock each year, and with proper methane management, the emissions could support rural energy projects and green jobs while boosting the country’s access to global carbon finance.

Netzence CEO, Dr. Sadiq Sani, said: “Every pile of dung we saw was wasted energy, wasted money, wasted time. What should be powering homes and creating jobs is literally evaporating into the sky.”

The firm stressed that methane management should be seen as both a climate and economic strategy.

“The Agege slaughterhouse is not just a market. It is a mirror of Nigeria’s climate future – where every tonne of methane wasted is a liability, and every tonne captured is an asset,” the statement concluded.

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