Lumos Nigeria, a home solar systems provider, has partnered Hinckley Recycling Nigeria Limited for the purpose of recycling Lumos’ waste batteries in Lagos, Nigeria.
The company disclosed this in a statement made available to Financial Street on Thursday.
The recycling is aimed at addressing sustainable battery supply chains and fulfilling the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, the company said.
According to Lumos, batteries are vital for delivering clean, reliable energy access and help off-grid users to optimise the consumption of solar/wind energy as well as increased reliability of power for users of weak grids.
However, Lumos stressed that current battery end-of-life management across Africa was not environmentally sustainable, with limited lithium-ion recycling or repurposing.
“Hinckley’s Nigerian facility is one of just two examples, across the entire continent, of local re-purposing. The partnership will initially see Lumos’ waste batteries recycled at Hinckley’s facility in Ojota,” it said.
According to the company, the Hinckley Ojota facility has an annual capacity for 20,000 tonnes of e-waste.
The Group Chief Executive Officers, Lumos, Alistair Gordon, said, “Energy is a core pillar of economic growth and will be a strong catalyst to sustainable economic recovery, post-COVID-19.”
“Africa’s battery demand is growing hugely, as they are vital for the continent to achieve clean, reliable energy access. This requires a sustainable battery supply chain. It is extremely important, and we are proud to be the first company in our sector to take this major sustainability step.
“We have been an enthusiastic supporter of Hinckley’s development, culminating in today’s partnership. We hope it encourages the adoption of similar sustainable practices across Africa.”
The Managing Director of Hinckley Recycling, Adrian Clews, was quoted as saying, “We are delighted by Lumos’ sector-leading commitment to sustainability, and we are honoured to partner with them. Lumos has been incredibly supportive of Hinckley and this partnership cements the relationship even further.”
