What is the name of your organization?
Green Briquette
What is the name of your solution?
Waste to fuel and fertilizer
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Transforming Northwestern Nigeria agricultural waste into clean cooking energy and soil-enriching fertilizer for a resilient future.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Kaduna 800283, Kaduna, Nigeria
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
NGA
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
The problem Green Briquette addresses is the crises of widespread deforestation, soil degradation,, and severe indoor air pollution prevalent in Northwestern Nigeria, where over 49 million people reside. An alarming 80% of this population relies on firewood and charcoal for cooking fuel. Globally, approximately 2.1 billion people still use these dirty fuels.
Deforestation, driven significantly by the demand for firewood and charcoal caused by the unaffordability of LPG fuel, leads to the loss of approximately 3.7% of Nigeria's forest cover annually, with 1.25 million hectares lost between 2001 and 2023. Trees anchor the soil with their roots and provide a protective canopy. Their removal exposes the soil to wind and rain, causing soil erosion, the loss of nutrient-rich topsoil, reduced water retention, and increased risk of landslides and flooding. This degradation diminishes agricultural productivity, impacting food security and livelihoods.
The burning of firewood and charcoal in poorly ventilated spaces causes severe indoor air pollution, a leading cause of premature death globally, contributing to an estimated 3.2 million deaths annually. Inhaling this smoke, laden with particulate matter, carbon monoxide, and carcinogenic compounds, leads to respiratory illnesses, and cardiovascular diseases. Women and children are most exposed to this health burden
What is your solution?
Green Briquette solution tackles deforestation, indoor air pollution, and soil degradation in Northwestern Nigeria by transforming agricultural waste into high-quality charcoal briquettes for clean cooking and biochar-based NPK fertilizer for agriculture.
Here's how it works:
Waste Collection: We establish a mobile app to connect with farmers and agro-processors, streamlining the collection of diverse agricultural waste like maize cobs, rice husks, and groundnut shells.
Briquette Production: The collected waste is processed to create clean-burning charcoal briquettes, offering a sustainable alternative to firewood and charcoal, thus reducing deforestation and indoor air pollution.
Biochar Fertilizer Production: A portion of the processed waste is converted into biochar. To enhance its nutrient profile and make it easier for application, we load this biochar with essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium and then granulate it. This biochar-based NPK fertilizer improves soil health and water retention and boosts agricultural yields, combating soil degradation.
Distribution: We utilize an e-commerce platform for online orders and aim to employ EV delivery vans for efficient and eco-friendly distribution of our briquettes to customers.
Our solution creates a circular system, turning waste into valuable products that address environmental and health challenges while promoting sustainable practices in energy and agriculture.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution directly benefits some users:
1. Low-income Households in Urban Cities: Currently underserved by access to affordable and clean cooking fuels, they often rely on expensive and polluting charcoal or firewood, leading to health issues from indoor air pollution and financial strain. Green Briquettes offer a more cost-effective, longer-lasting, and cleaner alternative, improving their health, reducing fuel expenditure, and enhancing their quality of life.
2. Smallholder Farmers: Facing challenges of declining soil fertility, high costs of synthetic fertilizers, and the impacts of climate change, they experience reduced yields and food insecurity. Our biochar-based NPKS fertilizer, produced locally from waste, provides an affordable, soil-enhancing solution that improves nutrient availability, water retention, and overall soil health, leading to increased and more resilient crop production.
3. SMEs in Heating and Cooking (Restaurants, Bakeries, Businesses with Steam Boilers): These businesses often rely on charcoal or more expensive fuels for their operations. Green Briquettes offer a more sustainable and potentially cost-effective fuel source that can improve their operational efficiency and reduce their environmental footprint, aligning with growing consumer preferences for eco-friendly practices. Our consistent quality and reliable supply, facilitated by our tech-driven logistics, will address the current uncertainties they face with traditional fuel sources.