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Ogun Community Excited As NESREA Partners Firms To Evacuate Poisonous Slag

BY CHIKA OKEKE, Abuja
The residents of Ogijo in Ogun State are in high spirit as the National Environmental Standards and regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and her partners have finalised plans to evacuate poisonous Used Lead-Acid (ULAB) slag from the community.

The exercise was the focus of a Stakeholder Engagement Meeting on the strategy for managing ULAB slag in Ogijo, a community which is home to numerous battery recycling facilities. 

Slag is a hazardous by-product of smelting used lead-acid batteries, and is primarily made up of iron and lead oxides, along with impurities from battery casings, electrolytes, and additives. It is classified as hazardous waste under both national and international environmental regulations.

Highlighting the danger faced by the residents, the Director General of NESREA, Prof. Innocent Barikor said that Ogijo has unfortunately emerged as a hotspot for unregulated and improper disposal of slag.
He noted that the continued dumping of the hazardous chemical in the community posed serious risks to the environment and public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children.
Barikor recalled his promise earlier in the year to address the environmental concern in Ogijo, adding that NESREA has commenced the full operationalization of the National Environmental (Battery Control) Regulations 2024. 

The agency has also developed an intense compliance monitoring and enforcement framework for Ogijo and its environs to stem the tide of the ravaging pollution and prevent other  scenarios waiting to unfold in the community. 

He added: "The goal of today’s Slag Evacuation Programme in Ogijo is not an isolated initiative. It forms part of NESREA’s broader strategy to sanitise the battery recycling sector, protect vulnerable populations, and accelerate Nigeria’s transition to a resilient and circular economy.

“This programme will formalise a strategic partnership that aligns regulatory oversight with industrial responsibility and sustainable environmental practices, and initiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) which will outline a clear framework for the collection, transportation, treatment, and co-processing of slag in a manner that safeguards both people and the planet."

The Ogun State Commissioner for Environment, Ola Oresanya described the event as a communal effort aimed at exploring innovative technologies that can convert hazardous slags into useful material, thereby reducing waste and promoting Circular Economy Principles.

He disclosed that the state environmental protection agency had commenced the implementation of a standardised procedures for the collection, storage and transportation of slags by accredited hazardous waste collectors. 

Present at the event supported by GIZ Nigeria were the community leaders, Federal Ministry of Environment, Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Ogun State Environmental Protection Agency (OGEPA), Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling (ARBR), Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV ) and representatives of various facilities in the community.

This was contained in a statement by the Assistant Director of Press, NESREA, Mrs Nwamaka Ejiofor on Thursday in Abuja. 

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