The Federal Government has shut down two factories in Ogun State over what it described as serious breaches of workplace safety standards.
The affected companies — True Metals Nigeria Limited and Phoenix Steel Mills Limited — are both situated along the Ikorodu–Sagamu industrial corridor.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, ordered the closures on Monday during an unscheduled inspection tour. She was accompanied by the Director of Occupational Safety and Health, Florence Owie, and officials from the OSH departments in Lagos and Ogun states.
At True Metals, a battery recycling facility, Onyejeocha expressed shock at the hazardous conditions. She noted that workers were exposed to open lead fumes, lacked adequate sanitation, and operated without required automated safety systems despite previous warnings issued to the company.
“No employer has the right to put workers at risk,” she told the management. “Giving people jobs does not mean you should endanger their lives. Every Nigerian deserves a safe workplace.”
The plant was immediately sealed and will remain closed until it fully complies with safety regulations.
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At Phoenix Steel Mills, the minister was unable to access the production area due to badly damaged internal roads. She observed stagnant water and poor drainage systems, describing the situation as a clear violation of the Factory Act and evidence of gross neglect.
“If the roads inside a factory are not fit for anyone to use, then what is happening inside the factory itself is a bigger concern,” she said. The facility was shut pending repairs and a fresh inspection.
Speaking after the exercise, Onyejeocha lamented that many factories still subject Nigerian workers to unsafe conditions while paying extremely low wages. She warned that the era of neglecting worker safety is over.
“In many places, workers are treated like they do not matter,” she said. “You pay them three or four thousand naira a day and still expose them to harm. That time has passed.”
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