Senate pledges to end illegal mining in Nigeria, commits to safer sector

The Nigerian Senate has vowed to eliminate illegal mining activities that have been depriving the federal government of significant revenue and contributing to food and physical insecurity across the country.

Over the weekend, Senator Ekong, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, led a delegation to Niger State to investigate the recent collapse of a mining pit that claimed around 30 lives.

During the visit, Ekong emphasized that illegal and unregulated mining operations are major obstacles to realizing the multi-billion-dollar potential of Nigeria’s minerals sector, with unauthorized miners using unsafe and environmentally harmful practices.

“The illegal mining practices, using crude methods and little regard for safety, continue to undermine our mining sector’s potential and threaten environmental and public health,” Ekong stated.

He assured that the Senate remains committed to creating legislative solutions to support the growth and safety of Nigeria’s mining industry.

In response to the committee’s visit, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State expressed the state’s readiness to work with the National Assembly to enact laws that would reform the mining sector, benefiting all stakeholders—including the federal and state governments, local communities, and miners.

Bago described “Responsible Mining” as a new initiative, inspired by models seen in Brazil, that would require companies to provide community support, such as potable water, healthcare, and education, to offset the impacts of mining.