Chinelum Dilivio Boma
Company: Royal Renewable Energy Cameroon
Country: Cameroon
Words from the finalist…
Chinelum Dilivio Boma, a 26-year-old innovator, has significantly advanced anaerobic digestion (AD) and biogas solutions in Cameroon. Leveraging a 20m³ biodigester in the Nkolmbende community, he transformed over 23,000 kg of organic waste—including livestock manure and household refuse—into clean biogas and biofertilizer, directly benefiting 50 households. His efforts have mitigated methane emissions, a critical environmental threat in Cameroon, contributing to the global methane pledge and Cameroon’s climate commitments. Boma’s biofertilizer initiative has substituted costly chemical fertilizers, reducing costs for farmers by over 30% while enhancing agricultural yields. His work directly addresses indoor pollution, linked to 7,000 deaths annually in Cameroon, by promoting clean cooking solutions that cut carbon emissions by 90%. Through a community-driven “njangi” cooperative model, he empowered local youths and women, creating green jobs and enterprise opportunities in clean energy and sustainable agriculture. His innovations could generate up to $304 million and 90,000 jobs in clean cooking alone. Overcoming challenges like limited technical expertise and community skepticism, Boma implemented sustainable waste management systems and fostered local partnerships, enhancing scalability. His visionary approach exemplifies how accessible AD technologies can drive environmental, social, and economic transformation. Boma’s work not only meets but sets benchmarks in addressing climate action and advancing global SDGs, particularly in waste recovery, renewable energy, and community resilience.