By Abdullahi Lukman
The Federal Government has commissioned a Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) Treatment Facility at the Sheda Science and Technology Complex (SHESTCO), Kwali Area Council, Abuja, to strengthen environmental protection and public health safety.
The facility, inaugurated on December 18, 2025, was established under the Environmentally Sound Management and Disposal of PCBs Project, with support from the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and technical assistance from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
Commissioning the facility, the Minister of Environment, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, said the project underscores Nigeria’s commitment to environmental sustainability and compliance with international conventions on hazardous chemicals.
Lawal said PCBs are highly dangerous persistent organic pollutants associated with cancer, reproductive disorders, neurological damage, and environmental degradation when improperly managed.
“Nigeria is a Party to the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants, which requires the phase-out of PCBs in equipment by 2025 and their environmentally sound disposal by 2028. This facility is a direct response to those obligations,” he said.
The minister said the project has led to the development of national policies and guidelines on chemical and waste management, training of government agencies and private operators on safe handling and transportation of PCB-contaminated materials, national PCB inventories, public awareness campaigns, and the establishment of the treatment facility.
He said the centre will enable domestic decontamination and treatment of PCBs, reduce environmental and food-chain contamination, lower health risks to workers and host communities, create green jobs, and support Nigeria’s transition to a circular economy.
Also speaking at the event on behalf of the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, CON, officials of the ministry described the facility as a major investment in Nigeria’s public health security.
According to the minister, exposure to hazardous chemicals such as PCBs can cause cancer, endocrine disruption, neurodevelopmental disorders, and long-term ecosystem damage.
“Today’s commissioning is not just about infrastructure; it is a public health intervention that strengthens Nigeria’s ability to prevent chemical exposures and protect vulnerable populations,” Pate said.
He said the facility supports Nigeria’s obligations under the Stockholm Convention and complements the National Guidelines on Chemical Event Surveillance recently launched by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare.
Pate urged federal, state, and local institutions to strengthen collaboration and ensure full utilization of the facility to improve chemical safety preparedness nationwide.
The PCBs Treatment Centre was established by the Federal Ministry of Environment in collaboration with UNDP, with funding support from the Global Environment Facility.
Stakeholders at the event said the facility would reduce public health risks, prevent chemical emergencies, and position Nigeria as a regional leader in hazardous waste management.
