The scavengers were also provided with essential equipment to help them to do their jobs safely.
According to the university, the project proved so successful that HP has offered to fund more safety equipment.
This work has been in partnership with the Basel Convention Regional Coordinating Centre for Africa, at the Nigerian University of Ibadan.
The team was also able to gain funding from the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills through the British Council for a two-year project.
The University of Northampton worked with HP to produce the workshops. Reclaimed Appliances, a Lincolnshire-based electrical and electronic re-use and recycling firm, provided boots, gloves, high visibility jackets and dust masks.
Learning Light, a company specializing in interactive learning, provided DVDs to demonstrate how to break down electronics safely.
Margret Bates, from Northampton’s School of Science and Technology, said: “Nigeria is fast becoming a digital dump for electronic wastes in the form of old computers, old TV sets, second-hand mobile phones and other discarded items from Europe and the USA. This is toxic waste; piles of computers contain hazardous substances which are harmful to both people and the environment.
“Hundreds of people make their livings from looking for precious metal components for recycling within the e-waste, burning the waste to get to them, which releases carcinogenic substances. They are literally killing themselves to get to the “usable” bits from the e-waste.
“The University of Northampton received funding from the UK Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) via the British Council for a two-year project with our partner university in Nigeria Ibadan and project partner organizations to educate the informal sector about how to break down the waste safely, how to identify what is of value and to provide them with the equipment to do this.
“Our project has been so successful that the delegates would like us to come back and do more and Hewlett Packard have offered to fund more safety equipment. The University of Northampton is now seeking further funding to continue the work we are doing out there.”