The present study reports a sustainable source of lignin, from termite frass. Lignin was extracted using Klason’s method and subjected to polarization studies to check the inhibition efficiency and measured the electrochemical performance of the coated sample on the carbon steel using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The anticorrosive property was determined in a simulated corrosive environment (0.1 M NaOH and 0.5 M NaOH). The morphological analysis of the surface of both bare metal and the lignin-coated ones, before and after exposure to the corrosive environment, was recorded using atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (EDX). The lignin showed maximum inhibition efficiency at 600 ppm in 0.5 M NaOH solution. Moreover, the lignin coated on carbon steel exhibited about 70% corrosion inhibition efficiency as recorded by potentiodynamic polarization studies and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The AFM and SEM analyses further corroborated the protection of the metal surface from corrosion when coated with lignin. Hence, the study suggests lignin from termite frass as a sustainable biological source suitable for anticorrosive applications. Graphic abstract