Abia State Launches Biogas Pilot Project in Secondary School to Boost Renewable Energy.

The Abia State Government has taken a practical step toward promoting renewable energy by setting up a pilot biogas project at a secondary school in Owerrinta, located in Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.

Speaking at a news conference in Umuahia on Monday, the Commissioner for Science, Technology and Innovation, David Kalu, explained that the project is locally driven and aims to test how viable, affordable, and easy to replicate biogas technology could be for schools and other institutions across the state.

According to Kalu, the newly deployed system is expected to start producing gas within four weeks. The goal is to see if it’s simple to implement, cost effective, and acceptable to the school community.

“If successful, it can be replicated in other schools and institutions across the state,” he said, adding that the government will review feedback from the school before considering a wider rollout.

Kalu also touched on a federal initiative called the “Energised Commercialisation Now” programme, which encourages states to identify research projects that can be nationally recognized and turned into commercial ventures. He noted that Abia has been directed to set up a committee involving government, academia, and industry including representatives from Abia State University, Ogbonnaya Onu Polytechnic, and Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike to drive the effort.

The committee will also help develop a comprehensive research and innovation policy for the state, focusing on solving local problems, using indigenous resources, and supporting business ready innovations.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner for Information, Okey Kanu, added that the biogas initiative is designed not only to generate renewable energy from organic waste but also to produce valuable research data that could support larger scale deployment across Abia in the future. He emphasized that the project fits perfectly into the state’s broader science, technology, and innovation framework.