Turning a water pest into a source of income

On February 26, 2026, the Lagos State University (LASU), Centre of Excellence for Sargassum Research (CESAR), in partnership with Mundus maris, hosted a high-impact workshop dedicated to transforming environmental challenges into economic opportunities. The event focused on the sustainable conversion into marketable resources of Water Hyacinth and Sargassum seaweed, invasive species that typically hinder fishing and other maritime activities.

The workshop venue in the S.L. Edu Science Hall & CESAR Building, on the LASU Main Campus in Ojo was accessible to students, researchers, and interested people from nearby villages. Participation of the day-long workshop was free and attracted 68 people, including the facilitators and organisers.

Epe farmers from nearby with organisers

The workshop commenced with a theoretical session featuring prominent stakeholders. Key representatives included the Vice Chancellor’s representative in person of Prof. Tajudeen Abayomi Olumokun, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, in person of Prof. Anthony Babajide Ojekale, the former Dean, Prof. Moses Akanbi, the Chairman of LASCAFAN, Mr. Fajinmi, the Director of CESAR, Prof. Mrs Morenike Adewolu, and Prof. Williams for Mundus maris.

These leaders emphasized the importance of Town and Gown collaboration, where academic research is directly applied to solve community problems. Technical insights were provided by a team of experts, including Mr. Kazeem (Mundus maris), Mrs. Charles (Water Hyacinth craft making specialist), and Dr. Blessing (a CESAR PhD graduate), who outlined the scientific framework for utilizing aquatic biomass.

Workshop organisers with the Mundus maris team

The afternoon transitioned into a practical, hands-on exhibition led by Mrs. Charles and Dr. Badmus.

Participants were guided through the physical processing of raw weeds into high-value goods.

The roots of Water Hyacinth were converted into biochar and briquettes for smokeless fuel.

Conversely, under the watchful eyes of Mrs Charles, the stems were treated and woven into hand-crafted bags and decorations.

Simultaneously, Sargassum was processed primarily for livestock feed production, showcasing a viable alternative for the agricultural sector.

A beach swamped with Sargassum

The workshop achieved significant success, drawing 68 attendees from diverse backgrounds, including students, researchers, and local community members.

The session sparked such high engagement that numerous participants applied for Mundus maris membership on the spot.

Furthermore, various participants representing agencies expressed a strong desire for future collaborations to scale this type of training session to other littoral communities and thus spread the opportunities for additional income more widely.

See another example of robust recipients to the right, shown by a lady from the nearby community and produced during the workshop.

By the end of the day, what before looked like nature’s nuisance was successfully redefined as a sustainable resource for wealth creation and environmental resilience.

Participants grouped together for a ‘family photo’ as a welcome memory of a day spent productively in exchange and joint application of learnt theory.