In a significant move to combat environmental pollution and manage waste generated from batteries, the Federal Government of Nigeria has officially launched the National Environment Battery Control Regulations. The new regulations aim to prevent and minimize pollution associated with battery use, recycling, and disposal across the country.
The regulations were unveiled on Thursday in Abuja by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), with support from the Nigerian Energy Support Programme (NESP), Heinrich Böll Foundation, and the Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling (ARBR).
Speaking at the launch event, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal Abbas, highlighted the importance of the regulations in ensuring the environmentally sound management of all types of batteries throughout their life cycle. This includes their production, usage, collection, transportation, storage, recycling, and eventual disposal. The Minister’s remarks were delivered by Usman Abdullahi Bokani, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health at the Federal Ministry of Environment.
The Minister stressed that the regulations are designed to address the previously unregulated activities of battery recycling facilities and handlers, which have had detrimental effects on both human health and the environment. He emphasized that while batteries, especially those used in renewable energy, telecommunications, and automotive sectors, are vital to Nigeria’s economic development, their improper handling poses serious environmental and health risks.
“It is widely recognized that batteries, particularly those used in renewable energy, telecommunication, and automotive sectors, are critical to Nigeria’s economic development. However, the improper handling—collection, recycling, and disposal—of used batteries presents serious environmental and health challenges,” the Minister stated. He pointed out that the informal sector, which often handles waste batteries without regulation, significantly contributes to environmental pollution, including soil, air, and water contamination.
The Minister further explained that batteries contain hazardous materials such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and lithium. If these materials are improperly disposed of, they can lead to severe health conditions, including cancer, kidney damage, and neurological disorders. Vulnerable populations, particularly children, face the greatest risks from exposure to these toxic substances. Additionally, the Minister noted that unregulated battery recycling activities have polluted ecosystems and led to the indiscriminate dumping of waste lead in unauthorized locations, practices that urgently need to be curbed.
The newly launched regulations, according to the Minister, provide the necessary legal framework to enforce compliance and ensure that Nigeria continues to protect both the environment and public health.
In his remarks, NESREA’s Director General, Innocent Barikor, emphasized the importance of enforcing the new regulations to address gaps in managing environmental risks across the entire battery value chain. He pointed out that the regulations would also help prevent potential health impacts on vulnerable populations, especially women and children, who are often involved in the mishandling of batteries, particularly Used Lead Acid Batteries (ULABs).
Barikor explained that the continuous misuse or mishandling of ULABs exposes users to severe health challenges due to the highly hazardous chemicals contained within, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, and lithium. These chemicals can adversely affect multiple human body systems, including neurological, hematological, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and renal systems.
The launch of the National Environment Battery Control Regulations marks a critical step forward in Nigeria’s efforts to promote environmental sustainability and safeguard public health against the dangers posed by improper battery management.
