JUST IN: FG unveils policy on waste battery management

The Federal Government on Thursday unveiled the National Policy on Waste Battery Management to provide direction on environmentally sound management of waste batteries in Nigeria.

Minister of Environment, Mohammed Abdullahi, who inaugurated the policy in Abuja, said the move was part of activities of the European Union Climate Diplomacy Week 2022.

The policy was unveiled by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, EU and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development within the framework of the Nigerian Energy Support Programme.

NESP is a technical assistance programme, co-funded by the EU and the German cooperation and implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Power.

The National Policy on Waste Battery Management was approved in February 2022 and seeks to provide specific direction on Environmentally Sound Management of waste batteries.

It also aims to result in fostering a safer environment, especially for the teeming population working and living within and around the vicinities of waste battery collection and recycling facilities across the country.

Abdullahi, who was represented by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Climate Change, Hassan Musa said the government was committed towards fostering a cleaner environment in Nigeria.

“The policy is geared towards setting the right incentives to attract investments in the sector, with socio-economic benefits for the country,” Abdullahi stated.

The Head of Section, Green and Digital Economy at the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Ms. Inga Stefanowicz, said that the inauguration of the policy would be critical in the efforts to mitigate the negative impacts of substandard waste battery handling.

“It will also promote local and international investments in local battery recycling facilities,” she stated.

The Head of Programme, NESP, Duke Benjamin, said the NESP would provide further support to the ministry with the development of guidelines and adoption of a standard operating procedures document to address the sub-standard management of waste batteries in Nigeria.