Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has welcomed the commissioning of Nigeria’s first dedicated Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) treatment facility in Abuja, describing the development as a major milestone in the country’s chemicals and hazardous waste management framework.
The facility, established under the supervision of the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), was inaugurated on Thursday, December 18, 2025, in Abuja.
In a statement issued on Friday, CAPPA said the facility represents a critical step toward strengthening Nigeria’s capacity to manage persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in line with international and domestic environmental obligations.
Polychlorinated biphenyls are highly toxic chemicals known for their environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and ability to travel long distances across ecosystems.
Scientific evidence links PCBs to cancer, endocrine disruption, immunotoxicity, neurodevelopmental damage, and reproductive disorders, as well as severe harm to terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Improper handling or disposal of PCB-containing materials often results in contamination of soil, surface and groundwater, and the food chain, posing grave risks to public health.
CAPPA noted that Nigeria, as a Party to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, is legally required to eliminate the use of PCBs, identify and label PCB-containing equipment, and ensure their environmentally sound management and final disposal.
“The commissioning of this facility constitutes a practical demonstration of Nigeria’s commitment to its international treaty obligations and its domestic regulatory framework under the National Environmental (PCBs Control and Disposal) Regulations, 2020,” the organisation stated.
Commenting on the development, CAPPA’s Executive Director, Akinbode Oluwafemi, said the facility validates the intent of the 2020 Regulations and signals the Federal Government’s readiness to operationalise environmentally sound systems for managing hazardous chemical wastes.
According to him, the facility will strengthen national capacity for the treatment, decontamination, and disposal of PCB-containing equipment and wastes, while reducing occupational exposure, preventing environmental releases, and mitigating long-term public health risks.
However, Oluwafemi urged the Federal Government to ensure full compliance with all provisions of the Regulations, including strict controls over the manufacture, importation, distribution, use, storage, transportation, discharge, and disposal of PCBs and related products.
He also called for robust inventory development, monitoring, reporting, enforcement mechanisms, and sanctions to guarantee effective implementation.
He further stressed the need for sustained investment, technical upgrades, skilled personnel, and long-term operational sustainability, noting that scaling up the facility is essential to meeting national PCB phase-out targets and unlocking associated environmental and socio-economic benefits.
CAPPA reaffirmed its commitment to promoting environmental governance, chemical safety, and public participation, pledging continued engagement with stakeholders to ensure Nigeria’s transition toward the complete elimination of PCBs in an environmentally sound and socially responsible manner.
All rights reserved. The content on this website, including text and other digital materials, may not be reproduced, published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed, in whole or in part, without the express written consent of The News Accelerator Network.
For advertising inquiries, news coverage, or press releases, please get in touch with us at
📧 thenewsacceleratornetwork@gmail.com
📞 08051017159, 08173970030
Kindly follow us on: https://www.facebook.com/thenewsaccelerator
You can also subscribe to our YouTube channels here: UCVELRC3WinKZ7tdmhmZaRmQhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/sub_confirmation=1
Post a Comment