Lead is a cumulative toxic element particularly harmful to young children and pregnant women and the continued use of lead paint around the world remains a significant source of human exposure. To address this issue, the Global Environment Facility (GEF) funded project on ‘global best practices on emerging chemical policy issues of concern under SAICM’, implemented by UN Environment, was launched in January 2019.

The aim of the lead paint component of the project is for 40 countries to adopt new or strengthened regulations. The International POPs Elimination Network (IPEN) is a project executing partner in the elimination of lead paint. I am pleased to let you know that the IPEN partner selected to implement the 2-year activities in Nigeria is the non-profit organization, Sustainable Research and Action for Environmental Development (SRADev Nigeria) from October 2019 to December 2021.

SRADev Nigeria as the executing NGO in Nigeria is to ensure the outcome 1.1 of the project to “Demonstrate pilots with paint manufacturers in Small and Medium Enterprises”. The activities under this outcome are as follows:

  1. National Baseline Report: Paint Makers information and Analysis in Nigeria
  • Collect all existing information on lead paint in the country, such as production, consumption, import, and export.
  • Collate a list of paint manufacturers and vendors, volumes, specifics on lead additives.
  • In limited cases, perform testing and analysis of paint samples (industrial and decorative), or identify companies that disclose that they use lead additives.
  • Compilation of findings of the national baseline information.
  • Based on the national baseline information, select SMEs currently using lead additives in their paint products for the pilot demonstrations.
  • Engagement with ministries, SMEs, paint manufacturers “champions”, suppliers of lead-free alternatives, paint associations, accredited laboratories, and other stakeholders to request co-finance letters.

Find the final report here >>>> Baseline report  or click http://www.saicm.org/Portals/12/Documents/GEF-Project/Lead-Paint/Baseline-Nigeria.pdf

  1. Raise Awareness with SMEs:
  • Design and disseminate awareness and information materials on a regular basis using all forms of print or broadcast communication.
  • Organize annual activities during the International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week and at other relevant times as needed.
  • Organize workshops to promote the need for legislation and BAT/BEP.
  • Coordinate outreach and awareness activities with output 1.2.
  • A two-day project launch/kick workshop was conducted for Stakeholders on 19 and 20 of November 2020. Participants were representatives of the industry, paint manufacturers and suppliers, government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), and civil society organizations in attendance. The workshops included sessions about the hazards of lead paint, the global effort to eliminate lead paint, and alternatives to lead in paint to encourage them to engage with the project and remove lead from their paint production.
  • Schools for Lead-Free Paint Students were present to give a demonstration of the health hazards of lead in paint to commemorate the 2020 International Lead Poisoning Prevention Week of Action (ILPPWA).

Media Links:

  1. Provide policy advice on legal limits to national and local governments in coordination with output 1.2
  • Share national baseline information about the national paint industry and technical advice with the national government.
  • Engage government to promote legislation and provide support to draft laws and regulations in coordination and with support from ABA-ROLI and other partners as per the approach described in output 1.2
  • Provision of information technical issues related to the paint industry to output 1.2.
  • Provision of Input/advice/advocacy to get lead paint on relevant meetings and conference agendas.
  • Facilitate engagement or establishment of a National inter-agency/coordinating committee on lead.
  1. Alternative supplier events
  • Provide details of national/regional alternative suppliers’ contact details to SMEs.
  • Facilitate “alternative suppliers-paint manufacturer” events or meet-ups.
  • Facilitate demonstration pilots from alternatives suppliers directed to SMEs.

This is ongoing, SRADev Nigeria has identified suppliers of lead-free materials in the country based on the recommendation of the Paint Manufacturer’s Association with MOUs signed with four SMEs already. Technical meetings to discuss how the materials can be made available for the pilot demonstration, potential price differentials and other implications on the paint-making process of lead-free paints are to be finalized in forthcoming events.

  1. Paint reformulation in pilot demonstration (s) project:
  • In-depth assessment in the selected SMEs through interviews and field visits (using a template to be provided by Serbia NCPC) regarding their installed capacity, paint products containing lead, leaded paint ingredients currently used, paint ingredients properties, alternatives/approaches/suppliers available for the company, paint formulas, among others.
  • Facilitation of cooperation with paint additive suppliers to provide individualized aid in creating a paint formula to substitute lead-additives with alternatives in a cost-effective manner.
  • Dissemination of information and working with the supplier to provide training among workers and management staff.
  • Conduct a follow-up of the reformulated paint in the SMEs by conducting paint sampling and testing.

The implementation of these activities is ongoing simultaneously.

Find More details on the SAICM website

SRADeV Nigeria hosts SMEs Lead in Paint reformulation workshop in partnership with Federal Ministry of environment and Paint Manufacturers Association.

As part of the output of the SAICM Project being executed by SRADeV Nigeria, the workshop falls on output 1.1.2 which is to raise awareness with SMEs on the process of reformulating lead in paint to making non-leaded paint. Having started the reformulation process with the identified SMEs the workshop was to disseminate awareness to other SMEs and stakeholders in the project.

The workshop kicked off with welcome notes and goodwill messages from the Federal Ministry of Environment, NESREA, SON, Lagos State Ministry of Environment and LASEPA. These critical ministries and government agencies welcomed everyone to the event and re-affirmed their continued support to the success of the project. Nicoline representing SAICM gave a presentation on the description of the SACIM Paint Project Work with government; policy support and awareness raisings to generate support for lead phase out and discussion of connection between work on SME demonstrations and policy support for lead paint laws which are Output 1.1 and 1.2 of the project. The Executive Director of SRADeV Nigeria, Dr. Leslie Adogame also presented project work plan with industry highlighting that the samples of paint to be reformulated for the pilot SMEs have been collected and shipped to the reformulating partner organization Clariant in South Africa, he also mentioned the project presently can allow new interested SMEs to join the reformulation process now ahead of the regulation been formulated by the government. Mrs. Spanny E. who represented the National Environmental Standards and Regulation Enforcement Agency (NESREA) mentioned that the agency are about ending the process of forming the regulation that disallows having heavy chemicals such as lead, mercury etc  in products such as paint, detergents, creams and other products alike. She mentioned that next steps in the process are processing by the Federal Ministry of Justice, Final publication, Sensitization of PMA, Compliance monitoring and enforcement.

Workshop Participants

The Project reformulation partner and paint supplier, Clariant also presented on the practical approach to Nigeria reformulation and reformulation process for industrial and decorative paints for lead free substitution.  

The Executive Secretary of the Paint Manufacturers Association presented on the reformulation guideline for lead paint eliminations where he mentioned that the guidelines to a large extent are detailed and will be very useful to paints manufacturers both small, medium and the big ones as it will assist them to address the issues of capacity constraints and technical barriers to the replacement of lead compounds in paints for effective and efficient reformulation process. He also highlighted that the duty of industry/manufacturers is to adhere to the legally established limits, by using additives that do not contain lead and ensure that the materials used in their production contain low levels of lead. He concluded by saying the reformulation of paints and Substitution of materials will no doubt pose some challenges to the SMEs.  It will take sometimes before full reformulation and substitution by the operators will happen. Some will learn the process fast while it will take others sometime to learn. Paint users may not be willing to pay the prices associated with the new reformulated products in the short run and this will definitely affect the fortunes of the operators but still enjoins member-companies (SMEs) to be focused and persevere. Nothing good comes easy. They will get there in the end.

 The Executive Chairman of the association also commented saying that the technical experts of the association have perused the technical guideline document and can assure the SME members and other paint manufacturers that it has addressed any technical issues they might face in the process of reformulation. Every member should have a copy of the document and always go to it for a successful reformulation process when the need arises.

Jeiel Guarino representing IPEN gave a closing remark thanking the government ministries and agencies for their continued support to the execution of the project, He also assured that IPEN will continue to provide the necessary support when it is required. He concluded that achieving the phase-out of lead in paint in Nigeria will be a laudable milestone for the country and IPEN.