The Federal Government of Nigeria has begun the process of reviewing extant laws in the mining sector to regulate and tackle illegal mining in the country.
President of the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS), Ms. Rose Ndong, disclosed this on Friday at a press briefing ahead of the 262nd council meeting of the society in Uyo, themed: “Optimizing Efficiency, Sustainability and Resilience in Natural Resources Management and Infrastructure Development.”
She recalled that the existing mining laws were last reviewed in 2007, noting that the Federal Government and other relevant stakeholders, including NMGS, have begun identifying some gaps in the current laws with the aim of addressing them. She added that the exercise would be concluded in no distant time.
Explaining the need to rejig the laws following emerging trends in the mining industry, the president urged state governments to comply with the law when reviewed, which, according to her, remains within the purview of the Federal Government for the benefit of all.
“The Ministry of Mines is already working with stakeholders towards reviewing the current law which came into place in 2007. So from 2007 to now, the government felt the need to review it. Not only the government, some bodies like us can spot some gaps.
“We cannot encourage state governments to issue mining licences to companies. For now, the Federal Government is vested with such power, but we are expecting that it would review those laws to tackle illegal mining across Nigeria,” she said.
Speaking on the conference tagged “Uyo 2026,” Ndong said it would address emerging realities in geosciences and the development of the mining sector of the economy.
“As a nation richly endowed with natural resources, Nigeria must adopt innovative, efficient, and sustainable approaches in managing these resources, while also building resilient infrastructure that can support long-term economic growth and environmental stability,” she said, urging Akwa Ibom to take advantage of the opportunities the conference would bring.
She said the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Pastor Umo Eno, and other international dignitaries will grace the occasion. Participants will also visit geoscience and mining sites in the state, noting that the sites have been deliberately selected to demonstrate the strong linkage between geotourism and geoeconomics.
“It will also open up investment opportunities in the solid minerals, energy, and infrastructure sectors, and promote the state’s rich geotourism potential and natural endowments to a global audience,” she added.
Nigerian govt begins review of mining laws, after 19 years
