The Executive Secretary of the Alliance for Responsible Battery Recycling, Miranda Amachree, has raised concerns over the low implementation of Nigeria’s Extended Producer Responsibility programme.
Amachree, who spoke on Thursday during a panel session organised as part of the 2026 UK Media Excellence for Emerging Technology Fellowship in Abuja, urged manufacturers to take greater responsibility for the collection and recycling of used batteries.
She said that despite the existence of regulatory and institutional frameworks, manufacturers were still struggling to take ownership of the environmental consequences of their products after use.
“The lead-acid battery segment was currently the only part of Nigeria’s battery value chain with a functioning system for recovering and recycling used batteries, leaving other battery categories lagging in responsible waste management,” she said.
The former Director, Inspection and Enforcement Department at the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency (NESREA), called for a stronger collaboration among manufacturers and regulatory agencies including the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, the National Environmental Standards and Regulations Enforcement Agency, and the Nigeria Customs Service, to improve compliance with battery waste regulations.
She said informal operators played an important role in collecting discarded batteries and recovering valuable materials, but many lacked the training, equipment, and resources required to handle the waste safely.
“Improper storage and handling of used batteries could cause environmental pollution and safety hazards, including fires, while poor recovery practices could result in the loss of valuable materials that could benefit individuals and the national economy.
“She said a proper battery waste management system would help protect the environment while creating economic opportunities through the recovery and recycling of reusable materials,” she said.
Amachree urged journalists to investigate recycling practices and establish whether operators complied with existing environmental regulations and prescribed operating procedures.
She advised reporters to go beyond documenting pollution incidents by examining the policies, enforcement gaps, and institutional weaknesses that allowed environmental problems to persist.
She also encouraged journalists to use available regulatory documents, operational guidelines, and other public records to determine whether recycling facilities met required environmental and safety standards.
The Extended Producer Responsibility programme is a critical environmental management strategy designed to make manufacturers financially and physically responsible for the treatment or disposal of consumer goods post-consumption.
Amachree’s organisation serves as the Producer Responsibility Organisation for the battery sector under the EPR programme, which requires producers to take responsibility for managing their products at the end of their useful lives.
By Dare Akogun
