For at least 25 years, bandits have plagued northern Nigeria, terrorising and robbing residents, recruiting new members, and fuelling the region’s chronic insecurity. Experts from the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organised Crime (GI-TOC) and the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data Project (ACLED) suggest that Nigerian authorities should shift from military tactics and instead focus
Environmental and Economic Resilience Key for Nigeria’s Mining Host Communities
The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) and Global Rights, an advocacy organisation, have urged the government to enhance legal protections and skills training for Nigeria’s mining host communities. At a two-day workshop held in Karu, Nasarawa State, Abiodun Baiyewu, the Executive Director of Global Rights, highlighted the severe environmental and socio-economic challenges that mining
CAPPA Urges Nigerian Government to Crack Down on Illegal Mining and Improve Safety Measures
Corporate Accountability and Public Participation Africa (CAPPA) has called on Nigerian authorities to implement stricter regulations on illegal mining, aiming to prevent further tragedies like the recent collapse of a mining pit in the Gashaka-Gumti National Park, which left around 30 miners presumed dead. CAPPA highlighted the grave risks facing impoverished locals who engage in
FG Declines Proposal for Mines Ranger Service, Strengthens Existing Mining Surveillance
The Federal Government has declined a proposal to create the Nigeria Mines Ranger Service (NMRS), which was aimed at addressing illegal and artisanal mining. According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), several government ministries and agencies, including the Ministries of Solid Minerals Development, Justice, and Interior, as well as the Nigeria Security and Civil
Senate Pushes for Policies to Protect Local Miners and Boost Nigeria’s Mining Sector
The Senate has called on the federal government to implement policies that protect local miners and strengthen their businesses across Nigeria. This appeal came as the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development reported generating about N20 billion in revenue for the federation account by the end of September this year. Senator Ekong Sampson, Chair of the
NMCO Engages Stakeholders in Mining Sector Townhall
The Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (NMCO) held its first ever Twitter Space to engage with members of the public on Tuesday November 5, 2024 from 11am-3pm . In the pioneer Twitter Space hosted by the Nigeria Mining Cadastre office, Broadcaster Hajia Kemi Aseku, anchored a conversation with the Director General, Engr Simon Obadiah Nkom on
Niger State Governor Proposes ‘Responsible Mining’ Bill to Regulate Mining Industry
Niger State Governor Mohammed Bago is pushing for significant reforms in the mining sector by proposing the “Responsible Mining” executive bill, which is set to be presented to the state House of Assembly. This legislative effort aims to regulate mining activities in Niger State, as the governor seeks to address irregularities and harmful practices in
Senate Moves to Curb Illegal Mining in Nigeria: Protecting Lives and Revenue
The Senate vowed over the weekend to clear Nigeria’s mining sector of illegal and harmful activities that rob the federal government of billions in revenue. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Senator Sampson Ekong, affirmed the Senate’s commitment to establishing a safe and profitable mining sector during a visit with other committee members
Zamfara Police Arrest Six Foreign Nationals for Illegal Mining Operations
Six foreign nationals from Burkina Faso and the Niger Republic have been detained by the Zamfara State Police Command in relation to illicit mining and banditry in the region. This was revealed in Gusau on Wednesday by Mohammed Dalijan, the state commissioner of police, during the suspects’ parade at the Command Headquarters. He stated that
Legal Framework for Mining Operations in Nigeria
The main legislation controlling Nigeria’s mining industry is the Minerals and Mining Act (2007). In Nigeria, the law governs every facet of the exploration and extraction of solid minerals. Below are links to more significant laws that make up the mining industry’s regulatory framework. West Africa has for long been a destination of choice for