NEPC Demands Formalisation to Plug Niger Mining Leaks

The Nigeria Export Promotion Council (NEPC) has warned that the widening gap in Niger State’s mining sector is bleeding the national economy. Executive Director Nonye Ayeni told a workshop in Minna on Thursday that illegal and uncoordinated mining remains a persistent rot in the industry. The Council is now pressuring the state government and local stakeholders to force artisanal miners into formal cluster groups. Without this shift, Nigeria cannot capture the data or tax revenue required for genuine industrial growth.

Traceability is the primary casualty of the current informal system. When minerals are pulled from the ground by undocumented individuals, they bypass official records and enter the global market as “conflict” or unregulated goods. Ayeni noted that formalising operations through cooperative societies is the only way for miners to obtain the certifications needed for international trade. These structures would also allow small-scale miners to finally access the funding and credit lines they currently lack.

Niger State sits on premium deposits of gold, columbite, and tantalite, yet much of this wealth remains untapped or smuggled. The NEPC wants miners to move beyond simple extraction and embrace “beneficiation”—the process of adding value to raw rocks before they leave the state. By forming clusters, miners can share the expensive equipment needed for processing. This would transform Niger from a raw pit into a value-adding hub, increasing the profit margins for locals and the state government alike.

The environmental and economic toll of the status quo is becoming untenable. Informal mining lacks the oversight required for responsible practices, often leaving a trail of land degradation and lost revenue. The NEPC is urging stakeholders to physically visit mining sites to sensitise workers on the benefits of legal documentation. Collaboration with the Niger State Ministry of Solid Mineral Resources is no longer optional; it is a prerequisite for adopting the technologies that modernise mining.

Policy experts argue that the “wild west” nature of the sector in Northern Nigeria discourages serious foreign direct investment. Large-scale firms avoid regions where they must compete with unregulated, tax-evading artisanal groups. By creating a transparent, cluster-based ecosystem, Niger State could signal to the global market that its minerals are “clean” and ready for industrial-scale partnerships.

The Council’s intervention highlights a broader national push to diversify away from oil. However, the transition from an artisanal free-for-all to a regulated value chain requires more than workshops. It demands a rigorous enforcement of mining laws and a genuine incentive structure that makes legal operation more profitable than smuggling. For now, the NEPC is betting that education and cooperative funding will be enough to bring Niger’s miners out of the shadows.