Governors Resolve to Tackle Illegal Mining in States

• Nigeria’s 36 governors committed to addressing illegal mining activities and supporting mining reforms in their regions
• Governors called for stronger inter-governmental coordination on licensing, surveillance, and operational safeguards to support mining sector activities

Governors from Nigeria’s 36 states have committed to addressing illegal mining activities within their regions.

In a communique issued on Friday, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, governor of Kwara State and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), confirmed the decision. The resolution followed a briefing from Dr. Oladele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development.

During the meeting, Dr. Alake informed the governors about recent policies and reforms to harness the country’s mining potential and appealed for their support in these initiatives.

The communique stated, “The minister sought the cooperation of state governments to create an investor-friendly business environment, support artisanal and small-scale mining cooperatives, address illegal mining, and de-risk the sector.”

Dr. Alake also encouraged state governments to establish mining companies and apply for mining licenses.

While welcoming the reforms, the governors called for stronger inter-governmental relations to coordinate sector activities, including licensing, surveillance, and operational safeguards.