Overview

Kaltani Waste Management Limited holds a 20-year exclusive concession from the Abia State Government to modernise waste management across the state. Through this public-private partnership, the state provides the mandate and enabling framework, while Kaltani supplies the capital, equipment, technology and operational expertise. The partnership enables Abia to move from funding an underperforming service to supporting a system designed to sustain itself.

The concession provides reliable, door-to-door waste collection for households, businesses and markets, replacing informal dumping and uncollected waste that undermine public health, drainage and the urban environment. Collected waste is sorted and processed. Recyclable materials are recovered and sold, while organic waste is converted into biochar. A sustainable, engineered landfill will receive only residual waste that cannot be recovered, reducing dependence on landfilling over time.

The project is designed to turn waste from a recurring cost into a revenue-generating asset, with the state sharing in the resulting income. Its three revenue streams are waste collection fees from residential, commercial and market customers; revenue from recovered and processed materials; and carbon credits generated by diverting organic waste from open dumping and converting it to biochar. The private operator assumes the capital and operational risks, reducing the burden on public finances.

The project will create more than 900 jobs, with over half expected to be held by women and young people. Employment opportunities will span collection, driving, sorting, plant operations, technical services, supervision and administration, providing formal livelihoods for groups that often face significant barriers to employment.

The benefits extend to farmers. Biochar produced from organic waste will be sold at affordable prices, significantly below the cost of NPK fertiliser. By improving soil structure, water retention and fertility, it can help smallholder farmers reduce input costs and improve yields. Waste that once polluted communities becomes an agricultural input and a source of carbon revenue.

The project will reduce open dumping, burning and blocked drains, helping to create cleaner communities and lower disease risks. Recycling and biochar production will reduce landfill volumes, while carbon credits will assign measurable value to avoided emissions. The engineered landfill will provide Abia with a safe, long-term disposal solution that protects land and groundwater.

The Abia concession demonstrates how waste management can become a self-sustaining, job-creating and climate-positive public service, combining fiscal discipline, environmental protection and inclusive economic opportunity in one long-term partnership.

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