The National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), Nigeria’s environmental regulator, on Thursday ordered the immediate closure of several battery recycling plants in Ogijo, Ogun State, after inspections revealed ongoing practices that put residents and workers at risk of lead poisoning.
The agency, in partnership with the Ogun State Government, said the affected facilities repeatedly ignored the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations, 2024, which require safe handling of used lead-acid batteries, a hazardous waste stream linked to severe health complications.
The latest action comes against the background of a two-part investigation, published by PREMIUM TIMES, The Examination, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates global health threats, and other media partners. The investigation revealed unsafe working conditions and widespread lead contamination in Ogijo, a community that borders Lagos and Ogun states.
Under the law, operators are expected to install functioning effluent treatment systems, properly store toxic slag, and
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