UK to build battery recycling company in Ogun

A five million dollar British battery recycling company is to be set up in Ogun State.

The British High Commissioner in Nigeria, Mr. Richard Montgomery, disclosed this on Wednesday when he led some officials of the Commission on a courtesy call on the State governor, Dapo Abiodun, in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

Mr. Montgomery said that when operational, it would be the best in Africa.

He said: "My brief visit to this state is about the deal put together for recycling, which is moving out of Lagos State and establishing a new plant here for recycling e-waste. The Ogun Invest and the Director General, Lands are working to ensure the deal comes off the line, and I am glad to be here to join the final conversation. I think that will bring new technology and new jobs to the State.

“The battery we will be manufacturing in Ogun State will be the first of its kind in Africa, and we will make the State the leader in battery recycling in Africa.

"For the first time, it is now possible to recycle the cell back into chemical form in Africa and export the black mass, which contains the minerals inside the battery, to make new batteries.

"It is really exciting that we received support from Ogun Invest, and officials from the Bureau of Lands confirmed the Certificate of Occupation. We can say that the investment will be about five million dollars, and we want Ogun State to be the place where this industry can grow," the High Commissioner said.

He noted that his country would like to participate in energy, technology, tertiary education, agricultural processing, and also explore how to find more United Kingdom-linked companies to invest in the State, adding that discussions are ongoing with the state team on how to proceed in the coming year.

Mr. Montgomery hinted that their visit to the state was partly to review the progress being made in Ogun as the industrial hub of the nation and how the State has fared in the areas of infrastructure and creating a conducive environment for business to thrive.