In brief
In Benin, AMAVI’s collection and conversion of discarded cooking oil into soap and biofuel represents a dual victory for waste management and renewable energy. The company has already recycled more than 150,000 liters since 2023 and has partnered with China’s Henan Hengyong to expand production. Plans to scale biodiesel output to three tonnes per day by 2030 aim to reduce pollution, protect public health, and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
AMAVI, a Beninese company headquartered in Oued‑Kpossidja, a town about 40 kilometers north of Cotonou, has turned the country’s discarded cooking oil into soap and biofuel, processing more than 150,000 liters since the startup’s launch in 2023.
The initiative came after growing concern that improperly disposed cooking oil leaches harmful chemicals into soil and water, creating long‑term health risks such as cancer and respiratory disease, according to AMAVI founder Carmel Djiha when speaking with Xinhua.
"Consuming used cooking oil is harmful to human health and can cause cancer and respiratory problems in the long term," Djiha said.
AMAVI partners with over 100 hotel and restaurant operators in the region to collect hot‑used oil that would otherwise be dumped into sewers or landfills. The oil is first filtered and settled to remove water and solids before being converted into soap or refined into biodiesel for generators and agricultural machinery.
Benin’s Ministry of Environment has enforced regulations since 2003 that prohibit the discharge of used oil into soil, surface water, groundwater or sewage, and ban the burning of oil in unauthorized facilities. AMAVI’s program, therefore, aligns with the national agenda of waste management and environmental protection.
To scale its operations, AMAVI signed a partnership agreement with China‑based Henan Hengyong, which supplies specialized processing equipment and technical training for AMAVI staff. This collaboration represents one of the few international ties forming around waste‑to‑energy projects on the West African coast.
Looking ahead, Djiha has set an ambitious target for the company: by 2030, AMAVI aims to industrialise its biodiesel production to achieve a daily output of more than three tonnes. This expansion would not only expand renewable fuel availability but also reduce greenhouse‑gas emissions, as the company expects to bring a new source of clean energy to Benin.
Environmental experts note that, beyond the obvious pollution reduction, a shift toward biodiesel can help diversify Benin’s energy mix and reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels. Critics, however, caution that scaling up will require robust quality control and further integration with national fuel infrastructure to avoid supply chain bottlenecks.
As AMAVI prepares for its expansion, the company is also monitoring the economic viability of its models. The soap and biofuel produced are marketed to local consumers and commercial buyers, creating revenue streams that could sustain the environmental initiative. Yet the company must secure consistent supply from restaurants and hotels—over 100 with whom it already collaborates—to meet the projected daily production target.
Overall, AMAVI’s transformation of waste cooking oil into usable products showcases how local entrepreneurship, aided by international technical partnerships, can address environmental and energy challenges. The 2026‑ongoing story offers an example of how real‑time data and expert analysis can illuminate the evolving pipeline from waste to resource in a developing country context.
