Nigeria Launches Five-Year Plan to Eliminate Lead Poisoning

By Ojoma Akor

The Federal Government has unveiled a five-year strategic plan to tackle lead poisoning, strengthen surveillance and prevent exposure, particularly among children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

ABUJA — The Federal Government has launched a Five-Year Strategic Plan on Lead Poisoning Elimination in Nigeria, outlining a framework for coordinated action to prevent exposure, strengthen regulation, and improve the detection and management of lead poisoning.

The Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako, announced the plan on Wednesday in Abuja during the commemoration of the 2026 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week, themed “From Detection to Prevention.”

Salako described lead poisoning as a major public health and environmental challenge, warning that children, pregnant women and women of childbearing age are particularly vulnerable to its harmful effects.

He said Nigeria must move beyond identifying cases of lead exposure to addressing and eliminating the sources of contamination.

According to the minister, the five-year plan provides a national framework for coordinated action across multiple sectors, including environmental and occupational health surveillance, laboratory capacity, regulatory enforcement and referral systems for people found to have elevated blood lead levels.

A costed three-year national roadmap is also being developed to translate the strategic plan into measurable interventions with defined timelines.

States to develop targeted lead prevention plans

Salako identified establishing and operationalizing an Inter-Agency Working Group on Lead Poisoning Prevention and Elimination as a major step toward improving collaboration among government agencies, development partners, and other stakeholders.

He also highlighted experiences in Lagos, Ogun, Sokoto and Zamfara states, noting that interventions must reflect the specific sources and pathways of lead exposure in different communities.

The minister said state-specific action plans were needed to complement the national framework, with particular emphasis on completing the Lagos State plan.

“The finalization of the Lagos State action plan, informed by its blood lead level and children’s environmental health assessment that has already been conducted, is particularly important in this regard,” he said.

The proposed state plans are expected to guide interventions based on local exposure risks rather than relying on a uniform approach across the country.

Government seeks wider collaboration

Salako called on state governments, industries, civil society organizations, professional bodies, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, community organizations and the media to support the implementation of the strategic plan.

He stressed that government action alone would not be sufficient to eliminate lead exposure, urging communities and other stakeholders to make prevention a shared responsibility.

“Communities are central to prevention, and our efforts must extend beyond government institutions to all of society,” he said.

The minister also urged Nigerians to adopt practical measures to reduce lead exposure in homes, workplaces and communities.

These include avoiding contact with contaminated soil and dust, choosing lead-safe products and observing appropriate protective measures during high-risk activities such as battery recycling and painting.

He advised workers to keep contaminated work clothes and footwear away from living spaces, while recommending wet cleaning of floors and children’s play areas to reduce the spread of lead-containing dust.

Maintaining diets rich in calcium, iron and vitamin C was also highlighted as part of efforts to reduce the health risks associated with lead exposure.

Prevention remains critical

Reaffirming the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare’s commitment to eliminating lead poisoning, Salako called for sustained collaboration to ensure that scientific evidence informs policy and that policies translate into effective interventions.

He said the country must shift from a largely reactive approach to one focused on prevention, early detection and sustainable action.

“The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare remains committed to providing the needed leadership and working closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that Nigeria moves decisively from a predominantly reactive response to a comprehensive, preventive and sustainable approach to lead poisoning,” he said.

The five-year strategic plan aims to strengthen Nigeria’s national response to lead poisoning through coordinated government action, improved institutional capacity, and community-level prevention efforts.

To achieve its objectives, the strategy will require implementation across federal and state institutions, effective enforcement of regulations, and sustained public awareness to reduce exposure and protect vulnerable populations.