Ogijo, Nigeria — Residents living near lead recycling factories in Ogijo are being exposed to hazardous levels of lead, as black dust from smelters coats homes, schools, playgrounds, and vegetable gardens. The town has become a major hub for recycling lead used in car batteries, supplying companies in the United States.
Poisonous particles in the air are inhaled and absorbed into the bloodstream, damaging nervous systems, livers, and kidneys. Toddlers crawling on contaminated floors or soil ingest lead directly, putting them at risk of lifelong brain damage. Blood tests conducted on 70 local workers, as part of a project reported by The Examination in partnership with The New York Times, found seven in ten had dangerous lead levels. Over half the children tested also had levels high enough to cause permanent neurological damage. Soil and dust analyses recorded lead concentrations up to 186 times higher than internationally recognized safety thresholds. More than 20,000 people live within a mile of Ogijo’s factories.
Lead is a key component in car batteries, and as U.S. regulations tightened over the past three decades, the auto industry increasingly turned to overseas recycling. Factories in Ogijo supply lead for major American carmakers and retailers, including Ford, General Motors, Tesla, Amazon, and Walmart. Experts say the global supply chain allows companies to avoid direct responsibility, while local communities face the consequences.
True Metals, one of the largest and most hazardous recyclers, is located near boarding schools, a seminary, homes, and restaurants. Residents report black soot covering floors and food, constant coughing, and contaminated vegetables. Families like Oluwabukola Bakare’s have experienced extreme exposure; her children had blood-lead levels three times higher than the World Health Organization’s recommended action threshold. Bakare herself recorded a blood-lead level of 31.1 micrograms per deciliter, associated with miscarriages, preterm births, and other serious health effects.
Community efforts to pressure factories into safer operations have largely failed. The king of Ogijo, Kazeem Kashimawo Olaonipekun Gbadamosi, has repeatedly called for closures, but regulatory power rests with Nigeria’s federal authorities in Abuja. After blood and soil testing confirmed dangerous lead levels, Nigerian officials temporarily closed five smelters, including True Metals. However, the factories resumed operations within days, promising delayed upgrades and cleaner machinery over two to three years.
Similar cases across Africa show this public health crisis is preventable. In Ghana, studies found that 87 percent of children living near a battery recycling plant were poisoned. European recycling plants operate cleanly but require significant investment. Experts say many African factories prioritize cost over safety, creating dangerous conditions for workers and surrounding communities.
Major trading companies like Trafigura supply recycled lead from Ogijo to U.S. buyers. Inspections revealed unsafe working conditions, lack of proper safety measures, and widespread environmental contamination. While some companies have ceased sourcing Nigerian lead, the opaque supply chain makes it difficult to trace contaminated lead in car batteries.
Local families remain at risk. Children play outside amid black dust, parents mop soot-covered floors daily, and even with supplements like calcium and multivitamins, exposure continues. Many cannot move due to financial constraints, leaving them trapped in the health hazards of a toxic industry.
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