Business

Senate dispatches five MDAs to handle Ogijo lead poisoning crisis

The motion, jointly sponsored by Mukhail Adetokunbo Abiru (Lagos East) and Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East), was brought under Matters of Urgent Public Importance pursuant to Orders 41 and 51 of the Senate Standing Orders, 2023 (as amended).

Published

8 months ago

December 5, 2025

OCHEFA

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The Senate has mandated the Federal Ministry of Health, the Federal Ministry of Environment; the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) including the NESREA and the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals to quickly look into the lead poisoning crisis at Ogijo community in Ogun State and report back to the Chamber within six weeks.

During the plenary on Thursday , the lawmakers expressed grave concerns over the reported fast-spreading lead-poisoning crisis in Ogijo, describing it as a full-blown environmental and public-health emergency that threatened thousands of lives.

Lawmakers cited scientifically verified reports of extreme lead contamination linked to a cluster of used lead-acid battery recycling factories operating in the area for years.

According to the Senate, the crisis had left residents battling persistent headaches, abdominal pain, memory loss, seizures, and developmental delays in children, symptoms strongly associated with chronic lead exposure.

The Senate acknowledges and commends the proactive efforts of the Lagos and Ogun State Governments and their relevant ministries and agencies for conducting early inspections, raising community awareness and working with federal authorities to contain the exposure.

The chamber noted with concern that the Federal Government had already begun clampdowns, with the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, shutting down seven battery-recycling factories and ordering a temporary halt to lead-ingot exportation pending safety investigations.

Senators said they were “alarmed that residents have for several years complained of persistent headaches, abdominal pains, loss of memory, seizures, cognitive decline, and developmental delays in children, symptoms strongly associated with chronic lead exposure.”

Despite years of community protests, the smelters allegedly continued operating openly, releasing toxic fumes and particulate dust into surrounding homes, markets and playgrounds.

Some environmental samples, senators noted, showed lead levels “up to 186 times the global maximum safety threshold.”

A major dimension of the scandal, lawmakers said, was that lead processed in Ogijo had already been traced into international supply chains, reaching global battery and automobile manufacturers who either did not address the findings or relied solely on assurances from Nigerian suppliers.

Following the extensive deliberations, the chamber mandated the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to deploy emergency medical teams to Ogijo to provide free toxicology screenings, blood-lead management, chelation therapy, and ongoing treatment for affected children and adults.

Simultaneously, the Federal Ministry of Environment and NESREA were directed to carry out comprehensive environmental remediation, mapping soil, groundwater, air, and household dust contamination.

The Senate also called on the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals and relevant regulatory agencies to enforce strict compliance standards for battery-recycling and lead-processing operations nationwide.

Additionally, it recommended establishing a National Lead Poisoning Response and Remediation Task Force within NEMA and directed the Committee on Legislative Compliance to monitor progress and report back within six weeks.

Related Topics:Featured Ogun State Ogijo lead poisoning crisis

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Naira Exchange Rates Wednesday, August 12

Published

6 hours ago

August 12, 2026

OCHEFA

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BLACK MARKET RATES

US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1,422 Sell ₦1,428

GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) Buy ₦1,885 Sell: ₦1,910

EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,590 Sell ₦1,610

CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080

SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90

UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370 CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205

GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110

WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400

CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250

AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900

Commercial Bank Exchange Rates

Fidelity Bank

Currency Sell

USD / NGN ₦1370.00

GBP / NGN ₦1869.7

8EUR / NGN ₦1604.54

Sterling Bank

Currency Buy Sell

USD / NGN ₦1350.00 ₦1370.00

GBP / NGN ₦1803.95 ₦1871.77

EUR / NGN ₦1537.93 ₦1601.81

ZAR / NGN ₦82.28 ₦86.99

Official CBN Exchange Rates

US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,364.90

GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,842.61

EURO (EUR) ₦1,575..50

SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,684.02

JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8.57

CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦202.34

WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2. 40

WEST AFRICAN UNIT ACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,858.53SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦363..60

SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦84.31

Business

Naira Exchange Rates Tuesday, August 11

Published

1 day ago

August 11, 2026

OCHEFA

35 Views

BLACK MARKET RATES

US Dollar (USD) Buy ₦1,423 Sell ₦1,428

Great British Pound (GBP) Buy ₦1,890 Sell: ₦1,910

EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1,600 Sell ₦1,620

Canadian Dollar (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080

South African Rand (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90

UAE Dirham Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370

Chinese Yuan Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205

Ghana Cedi (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110

West African CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400

Central African CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250

Australian Dollar Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900

Commercial Bank Exchange Rates

Fidelity Bank

Currency Sell

USD / NGN ₦1370.00

GBP / NGN ₦1869.78

EUR / NGN ₦1604.54

Sterling Bank

Currency Buy Sell

USD / NGN₦1350.00 ₦1370.00

GBP / NGN ₦1800.68 ₦1868.46

EUR / NGN ₦1539.16 ₦1603.07

ZAR / NGN ₦82.44 ₦87.16

Official CBN Exchange Rates

US Dollar (USD) ₦1,360. 14

Great British Pound (GBP) ₦1,838.50

EURO (EUR) ₦1,571. 10

Swiss Franc (CHF) ₦1,680.85

Japanese Yen (JPN) ₦8.56

Chinese Yuan (CNY) ₦201.61

West African CFA (XOF) ₦2. 40

West African Union Account (WAUA) ₦1,864.27

Saudi Riyal (SAR) ₦362.22

South African Rand (ZAR) ₦84.07

Business

NAICOM Revokes Nigeria Reinsurance’s Licence, Freezes Operations Over Capital Shortfall

Banire directed banks, financial institutions, policyholders and members of the public not to honour any instruction relating to the company except those issued by him or persons expressly authorised by him.

Published

6 days ago

August 6, 2026

OCHEFA

61 Views

The National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has revoked the operating licence of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation for failing to meet the statutory Minimum Capital Requirement (MCR) and appointed Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Muiz Banire, SAN, as Receiver/Provisional Liquidator to wind up the company’s affairs.

The appointment took effect on August 3, 2026, following the cancellation of the company’s certificate of registration by the insurance regulator.

In a public notice dated August 4, 2026, Banire said NAICOM appointed him, in exercise of its statutory powers, to oversee the receivership and liquidation of Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation (RR-002).

In the notice, the company’s licence was revoked after it failed to comply with the prescribed Minimum Capital Requirement applicable to its category of licence within the stipulated compliance period, in accordance with the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act (NIIRA) 2025 and other extant laws, regulations and guidelines.

Banire said his appointment authorises him to immediately trace, recover, secure and take possession of the company’s assets, collate and settle its liabilities in line with the NIIRA 2025, liaise with NAICOM on matters relating to the liquidation, and submit periodic reports to the Commission.

Source: ThisDay