The Managing Director of the Kaduna Mining Development Company, Alhaji Shuaibu Kabir Bello, has revealed that over 10,000 artisanal miners are being formalised into clusters to enhance their contribution to the economy and the export sector.
Bello made this known during a strategic engagement on the development of solid minerals clusters and aggregation centres organised by the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) in Kaduna. He explained that the formalisation process is aimed at improving productivity, ensuring environmental safety, and collecting accurate data on the miners and their activities.
“We are deeply involved in formalising the operations of artisanal miners by organising them into clusters for efficient aggregation,” he said. “This effort is not only increasing their productivity but also enabling better data collection, resource management, and access to markets.”
He emphasised that formalising the sector will improve safety protocols, enhance value addition, and position the miners to benefit from broader economic opportunities. Bello called on stakeholders to support the formalisation initiative, stressing that its success is crucial to the growth and sustainability of the mining sector.
In his remarks, Kabiru Yusuf, the State Coordinator of the NEPC, highlighted that Kaduna State is richly blessed with solid minerals, with significant deposits scattered across all 23 local government areas.
He noted that establishing clusters and aggregation centres for solid minerals is a key strategy to maximise the state’s mineral potential, create employment, and improve internally generated revenue.
Declaring the event open, the Commissioner for Business Innovation and Technology, Mrs Patience Fakai, who represented Governor Uba Sani, praised both the NEPC and the Kaduna Mining Development Company for uniting stakeholders from various parts of the mining value chain.
She said the collaborative initiative signifies a shared commitment to harnessing the immense potential of Kaduna’s mineral resources.
“Kaduna is endowed with a wealth of minerals such as gold, tin, lithium, and gemstones,” she stated. “When strategically managed, these resources can drive sustainable development, boost job creation, and enhance the state’s competitiveness in the export market.”
