The Federal Government says it is intensifying efforts to eliminate lead exposure and phase out lead-based paints in Nigeria by 2030.
Dr Salihu Usman, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Environment, said this at the 2026 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week in Abuja on Tuesday.
Usman, who was represented by Mrs Omotunde Adeola, the Director, Department of Pollution Control and Environmental Health in the ministry, said lead poisoning was a preventable environmental and public-health problem, with no known safe exposure level.
Usman warned that children, pregnant women and occupationally exposed workers faced significant risks.
He emphasised the need for coordinated action among government agencies, industries, health professionals and civil society organisations to strengthen environmental monitoring, enforce product standards, promote safer alternatives and improve public awareness.
He also highlighted the National Inter-Agency Working Group on Lead Poisoning Elimination and the proposed five-year strategic plan.
Usman urged stakeholders to measure progress through reduced exposure, removal of unsafe products and responsible management of contaminated sites, rather than meetings and policies alone.
He reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to stronger environmental regulation and called for sustained collaboration to protect Nigerians from preventable lead poisoning.
Dr Leslie Adogame, Executive Director, Sustainable Research and Action for Environment Development (SRADeV) cited studies on lead paint and used lead-acid battery recycling, and urged the need for stronger laboratory testing, environmental monitoring, enforcement of standards and safer alternatives.
The director commended stakeholders for supporting efforts to eliminate lead exposure and said that they have commemorated the event annually since 2013, collaborating with government institutions, industry players and schools.
He further urged stakeholders to prioritise prevention, environmental remediation and community protection, particularly for children and workers vulnerable to lead poisoning.
Mrs Omotunde Adeola, the Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Health in the ministry, called for measures to prevent lead poisoning, stating that there was a need to translate detection into effective action.
Adeola, who was represented by Mr Idris Abdullahi, Director, National Ozone Office, in the ministry, reaffirmed the ministry’s commitment to supporting Nigeria’s target of phasing out lead-based paints by 2030, stressing that success must be measured by reduced exposure and lives protected.
She highlighted key developments, including a November 2025 capacity-building workshop on portable X-ray fluorescence analysers, which equipped 35 participants with skills for screening lead in paints and consumer products.
She said that the ministry, with support from Resolve to Save Lives and other stakeholders, had validated a training toolkit for Environmental Health Officers to improve lead-poisoning prevention, detection and response.
Adeola urged manufacturers, importers, retailers, regulators and communities to comply with product standards, improve surveillance and promote safer waste-management practices.
She also cited the ministry’s April 2026 pilot programme for environmentally sound management of small-sized waste batteries in the Federal Capital Territory.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that awards were presented to institutions, associations, paint manufacturers and raw material suppliers in acknowledgement of their contributions to Nigeria’s transition towards the production and use of lead-free paints.
The awardees are Balarabe Lawal, the Minister of Environment, Mrs Omotunde Adeola, Director of Pollution Control and Environmental Development and the Standards Organisation of Nigeria.
Others are the Paint Manufacturers Association; Paints and Coating Manufacturing Nigeria, Chemicals and Allied Products (CAP) Plc; Prestige Paint Nigeria Ltd.; and Parco Enterprise Nigeria Ltd.
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