Juliet Akoje in Abuja
Chairman of the House of Representatives Ad Hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering, Hon. Sanni Egidi Abdulraheem, has raised concerns that illegal mining, poor enforcement of existing laws and widespread money laundering have prevented Nigeria from benefiting fully from its vast mineral wealth, while worsening insecurity and depriving the country of critical revenue.
Abdulraheem made the remarks on Monday at a High-Level Stakeholders Workshop on Extractive Industry Governance at the National Assembly.
He explained the House of Representatives established the ad hoc committee to investigate illegal mineral exploitation across the country, track illicit financial flows linked to the sector, evaluate the adequacy of security measures around mining communities and propose reforms aimed at strengthening governance in Nigeria’s extractive industry.
According to him, despite Nigeria’s abundant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, coal, tantalite and several other strategic minerals, the nation’s enormous natural resources have failed to deliver meaningful economic benefits to citizens because of widespread illegal activities.
The lawmaker observed that while the country’s mineral resources should ordinarily support economic growth, fund essential public services and improve livelihoods, criminal activities have instead widened the gap between resource wealth and community development.
He blamed the situation on illegal mining operations, weak regulatory enforcement and the laundering of proceeds that rightly belong to the Nigerian people, adding that criminal syndicates, revenue leakages and growing insecurity have turned many mineral-rich communities into conflict-prone areas.
Abdulraheem said the committee was mandated to investigate the scale and trends of illegal mining nationwide, trace financial networks used to conceal proceeds from illicit activities, determine whether security arrangements in mining communities are adequate and assess the effectiveness of existing laws and regulatory institutions in tackling the menace.
He disclosed the committee has already begun consultations with relevant agencies and would not hesitate to compel cooperation where necessary, stressing that effective oversight requires openness, accurate information and accountability rather than confrontation.
The committee chairman noted that its investigations have revealed that illegal mining is a multifaceted challenge that cannot be addressed by any single institution acting alone.
According to him, the crisis cuts across law enforcement, national security, financial intelligence, governance and community livelihoods, making collaboration among regulators, security agencies, financial intelligence bodies, state governments, traditional institutions, licensed mining operators and civil society indispensable.
Abdulraheem urged the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office to work closely with the committee, emphasizing that licensing records, regulatory data and oversight mechanisms under their control are essential to achieving sustainable reforms in the sector.
He also appealed to security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Mining Marshals, to openly identify operational challenges requiring legislative intervention, saying a clear understanding of existing capacity gaps would enable the committee recommend the necessary reforms and support.
The lawmaker further called on the Nigerian Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to intensify efforts to trace and block illicit financial flows associated with illegal mining, noting that proceeds from such activities often pass through bank accounts, shell companies and cross-border financial channels that can be uncovered with appropriate investigative tools and political commitment.
He equally appealed to state governments and traditional institutions to provide credible intelligence from mining communities, describing them as the first line of information on illegal mining activities.
Abdulraheem assured licensed mining operators that the committee’s investigation is intended to safeguard legitimate investments and promote lawful mining practices rather than target compliant businesses.
He said the committee wants legitimate operators to receive due recognition while protecting them from unfair competition created by illegal miners.
He also acknowledged the contributions of civil society organisations and the media in promoting transparency, accountability and public awareness within the extractive industry.
Describing the workshop as a crucial aspect of the committee’s public hearing process, Abdulraheem said the submissions, data and recommendations gathered from stakeholders would shape its final report to the House of Representatives.
He stated that the committee’s objective goes beyond identifying existing challenges, stressing that it is focused on developing practical legislative, regulatory, security and administrative reforms capable of enduring beyond the lifespan of the committee and successive administrations.
The committee chairman assured stakeholders that its assignment would be carried out with fairness, courage and transparency, expressing confidence that the exercise would help reposition Nigeria’s mineral sector for greater accountability, improved security and equitable national development.
Declaring the workshop open, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas, described the assignment given to the ad hoc committee as one of the most significant national responsibilities, noting that illegal exploitation of Nigeria’s mineral resources by unpatriotic individuals has deprived the country of enormous revenues and weakened its sovereignty.
Abbas maintained that Nigeria cannot achieve meaningful economic diversification, fiscal stability or sustainable job creation if the solid minerals sector, which should serve as a major alternative source of revenue, continues to suffer from illegality and lack of transparency.
He explained the workshop was designed to obtain credible evidence, expert opinions and practical recommendations from regulators, security agencies and operators in the extractive sector to properly guide the House in making informed legislative decisions.
The Speaker emphasized that the exercise was not intended as an investigation to apportion blame but as a collaborative engagement, urging participants to provide honest information and practical solutions capable of addressing the sector’s challenges.
Representing the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Hajiya Fatima Usman Katsina, commended the ad hoc committee for its commitment to addressing pressing issues affecting the solid minerals sector.
She stressed the need to bridge existing gaps between policy formulation and legislation in order to strengthen governance within the industry.
Katsina reaffirmed the commitment of the Governors’ Forum to protecting the interests of states while supporting initiatives aimed at improving governance of the solid minerals sector.
She disclosed that the NGF is already collaborating with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to harness the enormous potential of the mining industry for national and subnational economic development.
According to her, sustained collaboration among all relevant stakeholders would help close existing policy gaps and promote a more transparent, efficient and beneficial mining industry.
Also speaking, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Abubakar Audi, called for the establishment of a special court to ensure speedy prosecution of illegal mining offenders, describing illegal mining as a major contributor to insecurity, organised crime and illicit financial flows across the country.
Represented by the Commander of Mining Marshals, ACC Attah John Onoja, Audi disclosed that the Mining Marshals have arrested more than 671 suspects since 2024, while 397 of them have already been arraigned before the courts.
He added that the operations have led to the closure of several illegal mining sites, strengthened compliance with mining regulations and contributed to a 337 per cent increase in mining revenue.
Audi further appealed for increased funding to procure drones, CCTV surveillance systems, establish a national mining situation room and improve logistics and manpower, while calling for stronger legislative backing to sustain the fight against illegal mining nationwide.
