“Ogijo Battery Recycling Facilities Shut Over Toxic Lead and Safety Breaches”

The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), in partnership with the Ogun State Ministry of Environment, has shut down six battery recycling facilities in Ogijo, Ogun State, for failing to comply with the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024. The regulations are designed to ensure the safe management of used lead-acid batteries, protect public health, and safeguard the environment.

NESREA’s Assistant Director of Press, Nwamaka Ejiofor, said the closures took place on Thursday, with further enforcement actions expected in the coming days. The agency highlighted ongoing concerns over unsafe recycling practices that release toxic lead and other heavy metals, which pose serious health and environmental risks to local residents.

Ogijo, a major hub for battery recycling, has faced long-standing complaints about lead contamination, soil degradation, and air pollution resulting from improper waste handling. According to NESREA, recycling facilities are required to manage slag and base-metal residues safely, ensure staff undergo annual blood lead testing, provide adequate protective equipment, conduct yearly environmental impact audits, adopt cleaner recycling technologies, and participate in pilot projects exploring safer uses of battery waste in brick and cement production.

The enforcement follows extensive assessments and awareness campaigns carried out by NESREA in collaboration with the Ogun State Government under the Project for Responsible Battery and Metal Recycling. It also comes shortly after the federal government closed two factories in Ogun State for severe violations of Occupational Safety and Health standards.

During inspections at True Metals Nigeria Limited, a battery recycling plant, and Phoenix Steel Mills Limited, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, condemned unsafe working conditions. Workers were reportedly exposed to unprotected lead emissions, lacked basic sanitation, and operated without necessary safety automation. Onyejeocha emphasized that job creation should never come at the expense of human life, stating: “We cannot say we are creating jobs while we are killing our people. There is no price for life. Every Nigerian deserves a safe and dignified working environment.”