US-based Nigerian researcher develops solution to reduce lead exposure
A United States-based Nigerian environmental scientist, Gift Fabolude, has developed the country’s first comprehensive Lead Exposure Index, a tool designed to help policymakers identify and tackle the most vulnerable states to the toxic metal.
Fabolude, a doctoral researcher in environmental science and management at Montclair State University, United States, unveiled the index as part of his recently published doctoral thesis.
Speaking exclusively to PUNCH Healthwise, the scientist said the index, which uses geospatial techniques, statistical modelling, and multi-criteria risk assessment, ranks Nigerian states by their exposure vulnerability.
“Lead exposure is an invisible crisis. Unlike infectious diseases that trigger immediate response, lead quietly undermines health, learning, and productivity for years
My findings indicate that states with a mix of artisanal gold mining, urban pollution, ageing infrastructure, and widespread poverty are most at risk, with children bearing the brunt of the damage through impaired neurological development and lifelong cognitive challenges,” he said.
According to Fabolude, the Lead Exposure Index moves beyond traditional pollution monitoring by integrating socioeconomic, environmental, and digital data, including Google search indices, to build a more accurate risk map of Nigeria’s lead hotspots.
“This is not just about measuring contamination in soil or water. It is about understanding how poverty, weak governance, and rapid urbanisation interact with environmental hazards to create systemic vulnerability,” he explained.
The new index identifies several states, including Zamfara, Lagos, and other densely populated urban centres, as high-risk areas due to illegal mining, poor waste regulation, and deteriorating infrastructure.
Fabolude’s research builds on previous work in the United States, where he developed a similar index for New Jersey and is now applying system dynamics modelling to forecast lead exposure patterns in cities like Newark and parts of Nigeria.
He stressed that Nigeria’s struggle with lead exposure mirrors global environmental health crises in places like Flint (USA), Kabwe (Zambia), and other under-resourced urban centres, adding that his adaptable framework offers a path for both developing and developed nations to address toxic exposures.
He stated, “This research is globally relevant. It shows that Africa, despite resource constraints, can lead in crafting innovative, data-driven solutions to shared health and environmental challenges.”
Lead is robbing Nigerian children of their future potential. We need decisive investment in monitoring, public awareness, and sustainable practices. This index is just the beginning of what should become a national public health priority.”
Fabolude, who has published several peer-reviewed papers and spoken at major international conferences, emphasised that the time for policy silence is over, calling for urgent action to protect future generations.
Health experts have welcomed the index as a critical step toward informed policymaking, urging the Nigerian government to adopt it in prioritising lead remediation, regulating unsafe mining activities, and improving urban environmental planning.
