Mining in Nigeria: From Tragedy to Opportunity By Zekeri Idakwo Laruba
The tragic collapse of a mining pit in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State, which claimed two lives and injured others, is a sobering reminder of the fragile state of safety in Nigeria’s mining sector. Though initial findings suggest the incident was a natural occurrence rather than the fault of the operator, the bigger lesson lies in how preventable tragedies continue to plague a vital but poorly regulated industry.
Mining remains one of Nigeria’s most hazardous occupations. From Plateau to Zamfara and now Ebonyi, pit collapses, landslides, flooding, and toxic exposures have become disturbingly routine. Even worse is the involvement of underage children, driven by poverty into work that subjects them to injuries, chronic illness, and sometimes death. Carrying heavy loads of ore, digging in unstable pits, or washing minerals in contaminated streams without protective equipment, these children represent a silent scandal—one that violates both Nigeria’s Child Rights Act of 2003 and international labour conventions.
At a recent media event, Commander of the Mining Marshals, John Onoja Attah, underscored the urgency of reform. He reminded stakeholders that illegal mining threatens not just the economy but also the environment and national security. The Mining Marshals, established under the directive of President Bola Tinubu and Minister of Solid Minerals Development Dr. Dele Alake, are an enforcement arm of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC). Their mandate is clear: to restore order in the mining sector and protect the country’s mineral resources.
Already, the Marshals have dismantled illegal mining camps, arrested offenders, and revived dormant provisions of the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 and Mining Regulations 2011. These laws provide stiff penalties, including life imprisonment for those transporting minerals without proper registration. This is no symbolic task force; it is a concrete enforcement body staffed by trained officers and strategically positioned to sanitize artisanal and small-scale mining across Nigeria.
But enforcement alone is not enough. Among the Marshal’s top priorities must be the enforcement of global best practices in mine safety. Operators should be compelled to reinforce pit walls, install early-warning systems, and provide protective gear. Routine inspections must become standard practice, while penalties for unsafe conditions should be publicized to create deterrence. Safety must be treated as non-negotiable.
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Child labour, in particular, demands urgent elimination. While the Marshals can shut down sites employing underage workers, enforcement must be paired with alternatives for desperate families. Poverty is the root driver of child labour in mining. Collaboration with NGOs, social agencies, and community leaders can create pathways such as skills acquisition programs, small business support, and agricultural initiatives to help families earn income outside mining. When parents have viable alternatives, the temptation to send children into dangerous pits diminishes.
Technology also offers a way forward. Data mapping of mining zones can help regulators identify high-risk pits prone to collapse. Drones and sensors can monitor terrain shifts and environmental hazards in real time. Publishing accident reports and risk assessments can foster transparency and restore investor confidence in a sector long marred by instability.
Compensation schemes must not be overlooked. Families who lose breadwinners in mining accidents often sink deeper into poverty with no structured support. Establishing welfare funds or insurance schemes would ensure that miners are not treated merely as disposable labourers but as citizens whose contributions deserve dignity and protection.
The Ebonyi tragedy should not follow the familiar pattern of outrage followed by forgetfulness. Nigeria now has a tool capable of breaking the cycle—the Mining Marshals. For them to succeed, sustained political will is essential. Federal, state, and community actors must back their work consistently. Too many enforcement initiatives in Nigeria begin with energy and fade into irrelevance. That must not happen here.
Traditional rulers and community leaders also have a pivotal role. Mining does not occur in abstract spaces but in local communities where chiefs, elders, and youth leaders wield influence. Their partnership can encourage reporting of unsafe practices, ease enforcement, and ensure swift interventions before tragedies occur.
Nigeria cannot afford to keep sacrificing lives for mineral wealth. The safety of miners and the protection of children must be placed at the heart of national mining policy. With firm leadership, community trust, technological innovation, and proper enforcement, the Mining Marshal can help shift the narrative from mining as tragedy to mining as opportunity.
The support already expressed by the Interior Minister, the Minister of Solid Minerals, and the NSCDC Commandant General is commendable. What matters now is sustained commitment. The collapse in Ishiagu must not be remembered solely for its casualties, but as the turning point that compelled decisive action. Human lives should never be the cost of national prosperity.
If empowered to fulfill its mandate, the Mining Marshal can transform Nigeria’s mining sector—moving it from danger to dignity, from sorrow to shared prosperity.
By Zekeri Laruba is Assistant Editor Economic Confidential
