In many Lagos kitchens and roadside stalls, used vegetable oil (popularly called “ororo”) is quietly discarded, reused repeatedly, or poured into drains, with little awareness of its hidden economic value.
Mrs. Ngozi Okpala, a trader who fries bean cake (akara) at Ayobo, a Lagos suburb, said she reuses vegetable oil about five times before stopping.
Okpala told reporters she prefers taking the leftover oil home for cooking rather than throwing it away.
When asked about collection points for used cooking oil, she said she was unaware of any.
Mrs. Magnet Udo, a civil servant, said she simply disposes of used oil, unaware of the environmental risks.
“I just throw it away,” she said, unknowingly contributing to drainage blockages and pollution.
Mrs. Onoriode Ajao, a businesswoman, recalled working at a fast-food outlet in the late 1990s, where she often brought home liters of used cooking oil.
“My family used it for our daily meals. We didn’t know it had other industrial uses,” she said.
Miss Mabel Akpan, a food seller at Ijegun, said she was unaware of the value chain for used vegetable cooking oil.
Akpan said she reuses her oil until it develops a foul odour before discarding it.
Another food seller in the Iyana Ipaja area, Mrs. Ngozi Udoh, said she usually discards used oil after about six uses.
Three other residents interviewed also admitted they were unaware that used cooking oil had value beyond the kitchen.
Speaking on the health implications of reusing cooking oil, Dr. Tunji Akintade, a general physician, warned that repeated heating breaks down chemical components, forming harmful compounds such as trans fats, toxins, and free radicals.
Akintade cautioned that the practice poses severe risks, including elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL or “bad” cholesterol), heart disease, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases.
“Reused oil raises LDL, leading to plaque buildup in arteries, high blood pressure, and increased risk of stroke and heart attacks,” he said.
However, according to the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), Lagos households are sitting on a potential $20 million value chain if properly harnessed.
The General Manager of LASEPA, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, disclosed this during the unveiling of collection kiosks for used cooking oil at the agency’s zonal offices.
Ajayi said improper disposal blocks drainage channels, contributes to flooding, damages roads, and increases public health risks.
“Many households and restaurants discharge used oil into drains, contaminating soil and groundwater. Some burn it with other waste, worsening air pollution,” he said.
He explained that the new initiative aims to convert used cooking oil into economic value, reduce infrastructure repair costs, and prevent disease outbreaks linked to flooding and pollution.
According to him, the programme promotes voluntary compliance by rewarding proper waste handling and encouraging participation in environmental protection.
Ajayi added that Nigeria ranks among the world’s top producers of used cooking oil, with Lagos accounting for nearly 50 per cent due to its population and economic activities.
He said collected oil would be processed into biofuel and other sustainable products, supporting climate action while reducing pollution.
Also speaking, the Managing Director of Ororo Waste Management, Mr. Ayo Banjo, said households generate up to 60 per cent of used cooking oil, making them critical to a sustainable circular economy.
Banjo noted that beyond environmental benefits, the initiative could create income opportunities, empower youths, and improve public health through safer oil management.
He stressed that what many residents consider waste is, in fact, a resource capable of generating revenue, supporting green jobs, and reducing the burden on public infrastructure.
Ignorance remains a major barrier.
Across Lagos, from street food vendors to residential kitchens, ororo continues to flow into drains or is reused beyond safe limits — a silent loss of wealth and an environmental hazard.
As LASEPA expands its collection network, the challenge will be convincing residents that every liter of used oil properly disposed of is not just waste avoided, but wealth recovered.
