FG vows to enforce best practices in battery sector

The Federal Government has pledged that it will continue to sanitise the battery sector and enforce best practices in line with globally acceptable standards.

In addition, this will include working towards supporting recycling facilities that adhere to regulations and holding non-compliant ones accountable.

Minister of Environment, Balarabe Lawal, spoke at the International Conference on Upgrading the Lead-Acid Battery Recycling Sector in the African Region in Abuja, saying, “We will take all necessary steps to enforce best practices in the battery sector.”

He lamented the unsound handling of used lead-acid batteries, particularly in the informal sector, where unregulated recyclers prioritise profit over environmental and health safety, stating that the Nigerian government was already taking steps to formalise the sector.

Earlier, the Director General of NESREA, Dr Innocent Barikor, expressed appreciation to the German Government for their support in standardising the battery recycling sector.

He said they had laid a firm foundation while urging African countries to build on it by encouraging investments in cleaner and more efficient recycling technologies to mitigate environmental and health hazards.

He said, “All is aimed at strengthening the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) framework to ensure sustainable industry participation in battery waste management and enhancing regional cooperation to promote harmonized policies, facilitate cross-border knowledge exchange, and foster regulatory alignment across African nations.”

On his part, the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Annett Gunther, represented by the Programme Component and Implementation Manager for GIZ, Mr Joshua Garba, said the Germans would continue to support Nigeria in achieving sustainable management of used batteries.

The conference drew participation from development partners, including Initiative for Global Solidarity, Alliance for Rural Electrification, Platform Bei, the Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling, and representatives from Kenya, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ethiopia, and Ghana.

The conference was organised by the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA) and the Federal Ministry of Environment, in collaboration with Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADeV), on behalf of Oeko-Institut Germany.