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The Public Relations officer of the Miners Association of Nigeria Mr.Fatai Jimoh has appealed to the federal government to prioritize purpose-driven policies that will encourage the growth and transformation of Nigeria’s solid minerals industry.
A statement signed by him in Abuja, stresses that the industry has faced significant obstacles in recent years, which include State governments frequent interference in mining operations, often enforcing restrictions and in some cases, imposing outright bans on mining activities.
According to the statement, Jimoh reacting to a publication credited to the Director General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastral Office, Simon Nkom that there are over 7,000 mining licenses issued in Nigeria, yet fewer than 1,000 active mining sites explains that there are lot of challenges preventing many license holders from fully activating their operations in the country’s solid minerals industry.
“Mining title holders, especially in states like Kogi, Osun, Adamawa, Niger, and Taraba, have been forced to suspend operations due to these threats” he adds.
“Bans on Mining Activities: In 2023 and 2024, various states, including Niger, Adamawa, and Taraba, have enacted bans on mining activities without compensation or clear justification for license holders. These unilateral actions from state governments undermine federal licenses and create significant challenges for license holders hoping to operate within the law” Jimoh notes.
It attributes poor Infrastructure, land Occupancy Disputes, legal disputes with local landowners over property rights as some of the factors affecting many mining sites located in remote areas with inadequate road infrastructure, making it difficult to transport minerals to urban markets which not only delays operations but also raises transportation costs.
According to the statement, Mining title holders in these regions face inactivity, regardless of their financial capacity, due to these adverse conditions which often delay or completely halt mining activities which further affect the viability of mining licenses.
The statement calls on the federal government to invest more in enhanced security for mining areas across the country, adding that improved security will also attract more investors and increase confidence in Nigeria’s mining sector.
“This issue has drawn concern as mining falls under the exclusive purview of the federal government. Security challenges, including insurgency, banditry, and herdsmen attacks, create unsafe environments for mining” Jimoh states.
It adds that because of these poor Infrastructure many miners fine it difficult to transport minerals to urban markets which not only delays operations but also raises transportation costs.
“I believe that a concerted effort is required to address these issues and enable mining license holders to maximize the mineral deposits they have rights to” He states.
