In brief
In Cotonou area, AMAVI collects over 150,000 litres of used cooking oil and turns it into soap and biodiesel. The company partners with China’s Henan Hengyong and plans to produce more than three tonnes of biodiesel a day by 2030, helping reduce waste and greenhouse‑gas emissions.
In a small town north of Benin’s capital, AMAVI collects discarded cooking oil from hotels and restaurants and turns it into soap and biofuel, cutting waste and pollution.
Founder Carmel Djiha said the oil usually ends up in the environment or in the kitchen, where it can hurt health and damage soil and water. “Consuming used cooking oil is harmful to human health and can cause cancer and respiratory problems in the long term,” Djiha told Xinhua.
AMAVI started in 2023. It has recycled more than 150,000 litres of oil. The process filters and dries the oil, then produces soap or turns it into biodiesel for generators and farm machines.
Benin has rules since 2003 that forbid dumping or burning used oil. Companies like AMAVI help turn waste into useful products instead of letting it pollute.
AMAVI’s work has opened international ties. It signed a partnership with China’s Henan Hengyong, which supplies equipment and training. The goal is to industrialise biodiesel by 2030. Djiha said the company plans a daily output of more than three tonnes, which would lower greenhouse‑gas emissions and improve public health.