Ogijo battery recycling lead poisoning (Nigeria)
- Company or project Battery Council International: Lead batteries are the most recycled consumer product in the US, at 99%. Recycling Today
- Press and investigations The Examination: Lead recycled for US batteries is poisoning people in Ogijo. The Examination
- Company or project East Penn: Said that Nigerian lead was less than 5% of its supply, and stopped buying. The Examination
Journalists' blood and soil tests around lead smelters in Ogijo, Nigeria, found widespread lead poisoning; the smelters' lead went through a trader to a US battery maker. Authorities closed the plants in November 2025 and plants reopened from February 2026.
Journalists' test, November 2025; all tested workers were poisoned (number of workers not disclosed).
Status As of February 2026: plants reopened after closures; fines and clean-up obligations reported; no compensation or court case found.
- Trafigura — Traded the smelters' lead to a US buyer. The Examination
- East Penn — Received recycled lead for batteries supplied to Ford, GM and Tesla. The Examination
- People around the smelters — No compensation on record.
- Workers and children in Ogijo — Harmful blood lead in about 70% of 70 volunteers. The Examination
What happened
Imported lead-acid batteries are smelted at Ogijo, in Nigeria. Reporting by The Examination, with the New York Times, said lead from True Metals and six other Nigerian smelters was carried over the previous four years by the trader Trafigura to the US battery maker East Penn, which supplies batteries to Ford, GM and Tesla.
In November 2025 blood tests were carried out on 70 volunteers living near and working in the smelters. About 70% showed harmful lead levels; all tested workers were poisoned (the number of workers was not disclosed). Of 14 children tested, 8 were above 5 µg/dL. ICIR reported workers' average blood lead of about 20 µg/dL and a highest value of 38 µg/dL. Soil lead was measured at up to 186 times the hazard threshold.
After publication, the federal ministry sealed two facilities and Ogun State closed seven. East Penn stopped buying lead from Nigeria, saying Nigerian lead was less than 5% of its supply. The Examination reported in December 2025 that half the children tested had levels associated with permanent brain damage.
From February 2026 the plants reopened. Fines of about $7,000 per factory and a clean-up obligation of about $150,000 across four companies were reported. No compensation to those affected is on record.
- 2021Start of the four-year period in which Trafigura carried Nigerian smelters' lead to the US
- 2023Industry group states 99% of US lead batteries are recycled (study it commissioned)
- 2025Blood tests of 70 volunteers (Nov); facilities sealed on 24 and 27 November; East Penn stops buying Nigerian lead
- 2026Plants reopen from February; fines and clean-up obligations reported
What was said
Where accounts differ
Each party's account, side by side, with its source. The record does not settle these points; it shows them.
Lead batteries are the most recycled consumer product in the US, at 99%.
Recycling TodayLead recycled for US batteries is poisoning people in Ogijo.
The ExaminationSaid that Nigerian lead was less than 5% of its supply, and stopped buying.
The ExaminationHow it looked
Shown
- Lead batteries are the most recycled consumer product in the United States, with a recycling rate of 99%.Battery Council International (industry group), in a study it commissioned · Recycling Today
Recorded
- About 70% of 70 volunteers tested had harmful blood lead; all tested workers were poisoned, number of workers not disclosed; 8 of 14 children tested were above 5 µg/dL; soil lead up to 186 times the hazard threshold.
- Workers' average blood lead about 20 µg/dL, highest 38 µg/dL.
- Half the children tested had levels associated with permanent brain damage; authorities closed plants; East Penn stopped buying lead from Nigeria.
- The industry's 99% figure refers to US weight; the study was commissioned by the industry and there is no audit.
- Plants reopened from February 2026; no compensation to victims.
Who gained
Reached nature or the ground
Gained elsewhere
Responses on record
- East Penn (November–December 2025): Said that Nigerian lead was less than 5% of its supply, and stopped buying lead from Nigeria. · The Examination
- Trafigura: Not on record in the sources reviewed.
In court and with insurers
Lawsuits and rulings
- 2025-11-24–OngoingClosure of Ogijo smelting facilitiesFederal ministry and Ogun State authorities · Administrative · Federal ministry and Ogun State → Operators of the smelting facilities
The federal ministry sealed two facilities and Ogun State closed seven in November 2025. Plants reopened from February 2026; fines of about $7,000 per factory and a clean-up obligation of about $150,000 across four companies were reported.
Insurers
What nature saw
Nature's report opens this page. Below: further outcomes measured on the ground.
What we don't know
Nature
- Disputed Is battery recycling safe as presented?
Figures
- Insufficient Fines: Reported fine per factory.
- Insufficient Restoration spending: Clean-up obligation across four companies (an obligation, not paid).
Record
- Not disclosed The number of workers tested was not disclosed.
- None on record The volume of lead Trafigura carried and the collection of the fines are not on record.
- None on record No compensation to victims is on record.
- None on record No court case is on record; the actions reported are administrative closures.
Did the harm stop?
Plants were sealed or closed in November 2025 and reopened from February 2026.
Who paid?
People living and working around the smelters, whose blood lead was tested; no compensation is on record.
Sources
Press and investigations
- Recycling lead for U.S. car batteries is poisoning peopleThe Examination · 2025-11-18
- Lead in their blood: how battery recyclers are poisoning Nigerians [Part-1]ICIR (Premium Times) · 2025-11
- Study claims lead batteries are most recycled consumer product in USRecycling Today · 2023-07
- Nigeria closes battery recycling factories after lead poisoningThe Examination · 2025-12
Connected cases
- Lead shipped by Trafigura from Nigerian smelters linked to Ogijo poisonings Nigeria · 2025–2026
- Trafigura (Company) — here: Trader that carried the smelters' lead to the US; there: Trader that carried lead from Nigerian smelters to East Penn
- East Penn (Company) — here: US battery maker; buyer of the lead; there: US battery maker that received the lead
- True Metals (Company) — here: Nigerian smelter among those supplying the lead; there: Nigerian smelter whose lead was shipped
- Delta Blue Carbon mangrove project (Pakistan) Pakistan · 2015–2025
- Trafigura (Company) — here: Trader that carried the smelters' lead to the US; there: Credit buyer; "anchor off-taker"