Rising Tide Africa Invests $1 Million in Ororo Waste to Transform Cooking Oil into Economic Resource

In a move that underscores the growing climate-tech sector in Nigeria, Rising Tide Africa has committed up to ₦1.4 billion ($1 million) to Ororo Waste Management Limited, a Lagos-based company transforming used cooking oil (UCO) waste into valuable biofuel feedstock.

The investment will fund expansion of Ororo’s collection infrastructure and working capital, enabling the company to purchase more UCO from its network of collectors across Nigeria. This aligns with Nigeria’s significant UCO production—estimated at 1.4 million metric tonnes annually from a vegetable oil consumption of around 1 million tons—which currently lacks formal collection systems.

Ororo Waste is pioneering a circular economy model by capturing this waste stream and exporting it to European biofuel markets, creating income opportunities for collectors in the process. As Ayo Banjo, co-CEO of Ororo Waste, noted, “Refiners don’t buy good intentions—they buy documented, ISCC-certified tonnes.”

The company utilizes technology like GPS tracking and QR codes to ensure traceability from collection point to export container, maintaining quality standards for international markets. Currently operating three hubs in Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt, Ororo plans to expand to over 40 hubs nationwide within five years.

Rising Tide’s investment also establishes a development-impact partnership focused on tracking how the expansion affects participating communities—particularly women who make up a significant portion of the informal UCO collection workforce. Preliminary targets include growing the formal collector network from 5,000 to over 200,000 by 2031 and increasing certified UCO exports from current levels to over 150,000 tonnes annually.

Yemi Keri, co-founder of Rising Tide Africa, highlighted the social dimension: “Market women and waste pickers already do most of the collecting. Few have ever been paid fairly for that work, and even fewer at scale.” This investment aims to formalize this essential activity while creating dignified incomes for participants.

Ororo’s expansion builds on earlier partnerships with Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency, Shell Foundation, and the Waste Pickers Association of Nigeria (WAPAN) to train collectors in safe handling practices. The company expects to complete a baseline income survey by 2026 to track employment outcomes for participants.

This investment follows similar climate-tech funding trends across Africa, where companies are increasingly focused on converting waste into economic resources—such as Biochar Industrial Group’s recent $1.5 million raise to produce biochar from agricultural waste.