An NGO called the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI) has said that Nigeria must stop illegal mining if it wanted to earn more from its minerals.
RDI’s Executive Director, Mr. Philip Jakpor, told the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Sunday that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, had reported mining revenue rising from ₦6 billion in 2023 to ₦38 billion in 2024.
Jakpor explained that illegal miners dodged fees and smuggled raw minerals out of the country, and pointed out that most large mining firms were foreign and exported unprocessed ore overseas, causing Nigeria to lose the extra jobs and income that would come from turning raw rock into finished products.
He warned that illegal pits could be deadly when tunnels collapsed or water flooded in.
To address these issues, he noted, the government should make mining licences harder to obtain, enforce strict safety and environmental rules, and require companies to refine minerals in Nigeria.
He added that such measures would keep more value in the country, protect miners, and boost the nation’s earnings.
He also said that RDI planned to work closely with community leaders and security agencies to monitor mining sites and support training programmes that would give local residents safe and sustainable alternatives to illegal mining.