Beyond the Ban: Why Mining Reform is Nigeria's Next Peacebuilding Frontier
Nigeria's mining sector is often viewed in starkly contrasting ways. To some, it represents a dormant economic giant, crucial for diversifying away from an oil-dependent economy. To others, it acts as a "resource curse," fueling banditry and communal violence through contested control over mineral wealth. These narratives typically lead to a predictable governmental response: when security deteriorates, authorities impose bans and suspensions on mining activities.
However, recent research challenges this "security-first" approach. Conducted by the Strengthening Peace and Resilience in Nigeria (SPRiNG) programme, in partnership with Levine Sources, the Centre for Conflict Management and Peace at the University of Jos, and the Centre for Peace and Security Studies at Benue State University, the study suggests that such bans may inadvertently exacerbate the very conflicts they aim to quell.
The Paradox of Mining Bans
The instinct to halt mining in conflict-affected areas is based on the assumption that it will deprive violence of its financial lifeline. Yet, the research findings paint a more nuanced picture. State-imposed bans often create a governance vacuum, swiftly exploited by criminal elements who engage in clandestine economies to fund rural violence and criminality.
In many cases, suspending legal mining does not stop the activity; it merely drives it underground. Without official oversight, miners become more vulnerable to illegal taxation by bandits, and local disputes that were once mediated by traditional leaders or mining associations can escalate into full-blown violence. Evidence indicates that violent clashes frequently increase during periods of pronounced suspensions, with communal stability often returning only when mining is allowed to operate openly again.
The Human Face: Livelihoods at Stake
To grasp mining in Nigeria, one must look beyond multinational corporations. Approximately 90% of the sector is driven by Artisanal and Small-scale Mining (ASM), supporting an estimated 2 million livelihoods directly and millions more indirectly. These individuals are not merely "illegal miners"; they are household heads, youth, and entrepreneurs striving to make a living.
Moreover, the research highlights the often-overlooked role of women in this ecosystem. Women are essential actors, working as ore washers, processors, and providers of food and services at mine sites, and even as owners of mining operations. Despite their contributions, they are particularly vulnerable to the "shadow governance" that emerges when the state withdraws.
Criminalizing the sector through sweeping bans effectively criminalizes the legitimate livelihoods of some of Nigeria's most marginalized citizens. Disrupting these livelihoods could plausibly push these groups into informal and illicit economies, further complicating insecurity.
A Tale of Three States: Regional Lessons
The nexus between mining and violence manifests differently across regions, necessitating localized solutions:
- Plateau State: The study revealed a history of resilience, where mining sites have occasionally served as zones of cooperation. In Barkin Ladi, for instance, local arrangements for managing and securing mining site access have fostered collaboration among groups otherwise divided by intercommunal conflicts.
- Kaduna State: The research uncovered a trend of "coerced stability." Organized criminal groups, who engage in mining to sustain their armed organizations, have shifted from raiding mining communities to taxing them, establishing a brutal form of order to ensure their illicit gold mining and economic flows continue.
- Benue State: The study identified a "lithium rush." As a new frontier for high-value minerals, the rapid influx of people and capital for lithium mining is creating friction over land rights and unmet community expectations. Without proactive governance, these dynamics could become the next flashpoint for violence.
The Governance Friction
A major driver of fragility in the mining sector is the persistent tension between federal and state governance frameworks. While the Federal Government holds exclusive rights to issue mining licenses under the Constitution, the Land Use Act grants State Governments control over land. This legal grey area creates confusion that local elites and informal gatekeepers exploit in allocating and sustaining mining sites.
When communities see mineral wealth extracted from their soil while suffering from environmental degradation and a lack of basic services, they feel a betrayal of the social contract with local authorities. In essence, these governance gaps are a recipe for continuous violence, as peace thrives on clarity, not ambiguity.
A Strategic Investment in Peace as the Path Forward
Mining reform must be reframed as a strategic peacebuilding tool, requiring three critical shifts:
- Moving Away from Criminalization to Professionalization: Instead of viewing ASM as a threat, Federal and State Governments should review regulatory frameworks to provide formal pathways for miners to organize into cooperatives. This will improve access to finance and better equipment, reducing dependence on predatory middlemen and financiers linked to insecurity.
- Implement Rights-Based, Community-Centered Security: Security at mine sites should not rely solely on formal services like the police or military. It is imperative to develop a "bottom-up" security architecture involving traditional leaders, mining associations, and youth and women's groups in monitoring and reporting illicit activities that could exacerbate insecurity.
- Promote Harmonized Sectoral Governance: Beyond reviewing regulatory frameworks, a co-designed roadmap is essential to align federal licensing with state and local land management processes. Additionally, mining revenues should be visibly reinvested in local communities through development projects that address immediate needs.
Mining will continue in Nigeria due to high demand for minerals like gold, lithium, tin, and lead. The choice is clear: leave the sector in the shadows, fueling crime and exclusion, or bring it into the light through inclusive, transparent, and beneficial mechanisms. By choosing the latter, Nigeria can not only fix an industry but also build a more resilient, peaceful, and economically viable nation.
