Inaccessible and unaffordable clean cooking energy and the health hazards associated with reliance on solid fuels are among the life-threatening challenges facing Africa.
Results show that numbers of people die annually from in-house air pollution caused by the use of solid fuels, highlighting the severe public health consequences of the current energy landscape.
Many households, particularly students and underserved populations, rely on solid fuels because cleaner alternatives are either too expensive or logistically difficult to access.
Traditional gas distribution models often require long queues at dispensary stations and involve inconsistent pricing, further limiting access.
In this edition of Techparley’s Drive100, where we celebrate Africa’s most promising emerging innovations, we spotlight Trashformas Nigeria Limited, a pioneering waste-to-energy startup founded by Thara Aisha Atta.
Trashformas addresses a pressing energy and public health challenge, providing affordable, accessible, and clean cooking energy through biogas technology.
“According to WHO, 95,000 people die annually from in-house air pollution caused by the use of solid fuels,” Atta notes, highlighting the scale of the problem.
Trashformas leverages waste-to-energy solutions to compress biogas into pre-filled cylinders and distributes them through swap stations, targeting underserved populations such as tertiary institution students.
“Our approach empowers students and other users to transition from unhealthy solid fuels to a clean, cost-effective alternative,” Atta adds, demonstrating a clear focus on both health and economic outcomes.
How is Trashformas Nigeria Limited Addressing the Pain Points
Trashformas tackles two interlinked challenges, limited access to affordable clean energy and the inefficiencies of traditional fuel distribution models. Solid fuels are widely used because alternative fuels are often expensive or inaccessible, contributing to both health hazards and financial strain.
“The high price of cleaner energy alternatives forces many households to rely on cheap yet unhealthy solid fuels,” Atta explains.
Trashformas’ pre-filled biogas cylinders and swap-station network remove the need for long queues and dispensary visits, ensuring convenience and reliability.
By targeting students, the startup also addresses a unique demographic that is often underserved in energy access, bridging a gap between environmental sustainability, cost, and usability.
Trashformas’ Innovative Solution and Key Benefits
Trashformas’ model is rooted in converting waste into biogas and compressing it into ready-to-use cylinders, offering a practical and environmentally sustainable alternative to traditional cooking fuels.
“Our product also offers more cooking time as biogas is a slow-burning gas,” Atta highlights, demonstrating a direct benefit to consumers.
This solution reduces reliance on polluting solid fuels while providing a convenient, ready-to-use energy source. Additionally, by eliminating the need for dispensing stations and wait times, Trashformas addresses both logistical inefficiencies and user frustration.
This combination of health, environmental, and practical benefits positions the startup as a forward-thinking solution in Nigeria’s energy landscape.
Unique Positioning and Competitive Edge
Trashformas differentiates itself through its pre-filled biogas cylinders, focus on underserved segments, and user-centric distribution model.
“Unlike traditional gas distribution that requires users to visit dispensary stations and wait, ours allows you to pick up and go,” Atta emphasizes.
While other solutions may provide LPG or alternative fuels, Trashformas combines accessibility, affordability, and sustainability in one model. Its circular economy approach, turning waste into energy, adds an environmental impact dimension that traditional competitors often lack.
By offering both practical and socially impactful value, Trashformas positions itself uniquely within Nigeria’s emerging clean energy sector.
The Milestones, Progress, and Traction So Far
Trashformas has made notable strides despite being pre-commercial. The startup has raised $11,500 in grant funding and SAFE investment, which was allocated to building a demonstration facility and testing biogas on cook stoves.
“We’ve facilitated strategic partnerships in areas of technical, project management, risk assessment, manufacturing, policy support, and material acquisition partners to de-risk the market,” Atta states, illustrating proactive risk mitigation.
These efforts not only validate the technology but also establish foundational partnerships critical for scaling.
While commercial launch is pending, the groundwork suggests that Trashformas is well-positioned to expand rapidly once funding and infrastructure are secured.
The Team Behind Trashformas Nigeria Limited
Trashformas’ multidisciplinary team combines technical, operational, and market expertise.
Thara Aisha Atta, CEO and Founder: Over a decade of experience promoting eco-friendly products and circular economy solutions, providing strategic direction and leadership.
Abdulkarim Aliyu Wakili, COO and Co-founder: An engineer with operational expertise, ensuring seamless execution of projects.
Destiny Innocent, CTO: Serial entrepreneur with prior successful exits, responsible for technology development and system optimization.
Dexter Chisom Olocha, CCO: Market and customer engagement expert, ensuring that the solution aligns with user needs.
“We understand the pain of our customers and have run critical surveys of our customer and product demand,” Atta notes, reflecting a data-driven, human-centered approach to product development.
Challenges and Strategies for Overcoming Them
Trashformas faces significant hurdles, including fundraising, securing strategic partnerships, and navigating policy frameworks.
“Positioning and the right policy support have been challenging, but we’ve been in discussions with government and private potential partners to make this less of a challenge and more of a leverage,” the founder explains
By engaging with government agencies and private stakeholders, Trashformas is proactively mitigating operational and market risks.
The startup is also exploring collaborations and grant opportunities to overcome the financial and logistical challenges inherent in deploying innovative energy solutions.
Vision and Future Goals for Market Expansion
In the next 6 to 12 months, Trashformas aims to convert strategic partnerships into operational frameworks through SPV or JV agreements, unlocking further funding and market readiness.
Over 2 to 5 years, the startup intends to meet the energy needs of 18,250 to 44,000 users, depending on the level of funding secured.
Atta envisions that Trashformas will create a scalable, environmentally sustainable energy model that bridges clean energy access, cost-effectiveness, and environmental impact.
“By leveraging strong industry connections and de-risking the market for all stakeholders, we aim to transition many underserved customer segments to clean cooking,” she adds.
Talking Points
Trashformas Nigeria Limited presents a promising and socially impactful approach to addressing Africa’s clean energy and environmental challenges.
By converting waste into biogas and providing pre-filled, easily accessible cylinders, the startup tackles both the health risks of solid fuel use and the logistical barriers associated with traditional gas distribution.
Their strategy demonstrates innovation in design and delivery, particularly the use of swap stations that reduce wait times and improve convenience for users.
However, the company still faces significant hurdles, including securing sufficient funding to scale production, manufacturing specialized cylinders, and navigating regulatory and policy frameworks to reach broader markets.
While the concept is technically and socially sound, the true test will be its ability to translate early prototypes and pilot demonstrations into a sustainable, commercially viable model that can consistently reach and serve its target populations at scale.
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