COVER
Reps Lament Nigeria’s $9bn Yearly Loss to Illegal Mining
By Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
The House of Representatives yesterday lamented that the country was losing $9b dollars yearly to illegal Mining, which the Speaker, Tajudeen Abbas said illegal Mining activities has exposed the host communities to agonizing conditions.
Chairman, House Committee on Solid Mineral, Hon. Jonathan Gaza at an investigative hearing, disclosed that while unlawful mining was costing the country $9bn each year, the only money benefitted was coming from a three percent royalty paid by the few licensed miners. This was just as the Chief of Defence Staff; General Christopher Musa disclosed that those involved in illegal mining have connections, often bragging to have links with those at the top.Meanwhile, the Nigeria Army said it has arrested 387 individuals in connection with illegal mining.Speaking at a public hearing organized by the House Committee on Solid Minerals development on the need to investigate illegal mining in the solid mineral sector, Gaza said that the development had hampered the country’s ability to maximize the benefits from its mineral resources.According to him, the negative impacts of illegal mining have led to insecurity and conflicts over control of mining sites and their resources.He said these conflicts have escalated into violence there by exacerbating existing political and social tensions in affected communities which has resulted in the limited data availability and inadequate measures to control this illicit practice.”This public hearing is aimed to investigating illegal mining activities, under-reporting wins (extract E-Products) by mining and quarry license operators, utilization of financial interventions in the Nigerian solid minerals sector amounting to trillions of naira within the solid mineral sector and also the Nigeria minerals and Mining Act (Amendment Bill) and Nigeria solid Minerals Development Company (establishment bill) respectively.”The leadership of the 10th House of Assembly has found it expedient and a sense of duty to carry out these investigative hearings to necessitate transparency and accountability, public participation, policy formation and identify challenges and solutions that will ultimately lead to the revamping of our solid mineral sector.As we are all aware, illegal mining poses substantial risks to our nation’s economy, environment, and security.”The unregulated exploitation of our natural resources jeopardizes the sustainability of the mineral sector, leading to environmental degradation and revenue loss that could otherwise benefit our communities and nation as a whole.”It is imperative that we take as a matter of urgency, decisive steps and necessary action to address this issue and ensure that our solid mineral sector operates within the framework of the law, protecting our natural resources for future generations.”Furthermore, as representatives of the people, the parliament is deeply worried about the loss of revenue through unregulated and illicit mining operations with the Federal Government disclosing that unlawful mining costs the country $9bn each year, with the only money coming from a 3 percent royalty paid by the few licensed miners.”By attentively listening to their testimonies and perspectives, we can gain a deeper understanding of the challenges posed by illegal mining and develop effective strategies to combat this illicit activity. Allow me to state emphatically that the time is now for us to work collaboratively and take immediate and decisive actions to revitalize and develop this critical sector for the overall benefit of all Nigerians while preserving our environment for future generations.Speaking on why illegal mining activities have continue to take place despite move by the federal government to curtail it, Director Of Operations, Air Vice Marshal Nnaemeka Ignatius Ilo who represented the Chief of Defence staff said that most people involved in the process have connections backing them up, adding that foreigners also come into the country to carry out the illegal act.“The involvement of the elites in it, we can’t tell, but we know that most of the time when we catch these foreigners, they will tell us that they have connections. I don’t want to say some things, but sometimes you hand these people over and the next thing you see, they’re released.”In 2018 or so, during the last administration, there was a ban on illegal mining in South Africa, South Africa, Sinai, Nigeria, which even established a gold mine zone. Despite that ban, mining licenses were being issued to people to mine in that zone. So the strengthening of the institutional framework is very key.”Anybody caught in this illegal mining must be dealt with decisively and examples should be made for others to know publicly that this is what the government is doing to ensure that we tackle that area.The third aspect we noted is poverty. These areas where this illegal mining takes place, the people are poor. Virtually, lack of education is also part of it. Most of them that we get one way or the other, no formal education.Speaking also at the hearing, the representative of Nigeria Army Colonel Tajudeen Lamidi said that the Nigeria Army has arrested 387 individuals in connection with illegal mining.”In summary, I would say from December to date, in Abia, we have 10 people arrested. In Ebonyi State, we have 12. The Federal Capital Territory and its environs – I mean places like Kuje, Bwari, and more, we’ve arrested 276 individuals. While in Osun State, we’ve arrested 19.In Oyo, particularly in the northern part of Oyo State, where they share bandry with Kwara State; those places are very close to the whole Oyo National Park; we’ve arrested around 55 people. I think the minna, in that particular place, meets about 17 trucks loaded with Konzite.In Plateau we have 25, while in Zamfara, we have 15.”When the APM was talking the other day, he mentioned the issue of the ban of mining activity in Zamfara. Well, sadly, we still arrested people in that community that is still taking place.Just like I said, we continue to collaborate with the agencies that are constitutionally mandated to check illegal mining. “But it is because we realize there is a nexus between insecurity and illegal mining, which the chairman also alluded to in his opening remarks, when he said, if you want, you cannot fight illegal mining without fighting security.”If you want to actually reduce insecurity in the country, those agencies that are also mandated to fight insecurity must also fight illegal mining. So, in terms of challenges, I think the APM has touched on some of the challenges which we have. I think the APM, the civil defense men, and the man from the Ministry of Solidarity and Relief, we’ve actually been involved in the issue of illegal mining, I think, since January. When I came, I saw that they are the same people from the agencies that have been isolating us.”The issue of those communities, the APM talked about it, there is poverty, and they are also involved in it. And I think this makes it very, very difficult to check illegal mining. It is not only the people coming from outside that are involved. The locals benefit from it. But the question is, what is the role of the state, what is the role of the local government in illegal mining? I think most of it is raised with the federal government. Why the state and the local government don’t actually have roles to play. I think we need to look for roles for both the state and the local government to get involved.While declaring the public hearing open, the Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas who was represented by the Leader Professor Julius Ihonvbere noted that Illegal mining activity is a growing socio-economic challenge in Nigeria, adding that it has led to loss of ecosystems and increased poverty level especially among peasant farmers who depend solely on environmental resources for a living.According to him, Nigeria is richly blessed with solid minerals, which should bring great fortune to the country and the citizens, but the wealth is largely stolen by criminal elements. According to reports, an estimated 80% of mining in the North West region is carried out illegally and the mining of large untapped mineral deposits in the area is at the root of community violence.Speaker of the House of Reps, Tajudeen Abbas said that the rise in illegal mining highlights fundamental social, institutional and structural problems in the country.He added that the investigation was aimed to provide enough guidance on curbing the menace of illegal mining.The Speaker said that the aim was to also assess the role played by the regulators in the process of their regulatory functions as it relates to mining practices.This he said was currently before the House and for which a Public Hearing would soon be held.He said the investigative hearing was critical in the fact that various communities where mining is taking place in Nigeria live in agonising conditions, economically and socially.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Development Bank of Nigeria Plc (DBN) has launched DAWN: DBN Action for Women in Nigeria, unveiled its Impact Report and presented MSME Data Assets at the seventh edition of Annual Lecture held in Abuja.
DBN, in a statement on Thursday, said while delivering a welcome address, its Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dr Tony Okpanachi, said the central challenge was no longer reforms themselves but ensuring benefits reach businesses at end of the chain.
He asked how to make sure benefits reach traders in Onitsha, fabricator in Aba, farmer in Kebbi and young founder in Yaba, noting that MSMEs accounted for about half of Nigeria’s GDP and more than eight in every ten jobs, adding that when reform works for MSMEs it works for most Nigerians.
He explained that reform becomes prosperity only when entrepreneurs can act on it whether through long tenor loans to buy equipment, banks willing to take risk or skills and records needed to grow.
He said working through Participating Financial Institutions DBN provides longer term funding, partial credit guarantees through subsidiary Impact Credit Guarantee Limited and capacity building including Entrepreneurship Training Programme.
He disclosed that as at December 2025 DBN had disbursed a cumulative N1.4 trillion to MSMEs through 84 Participating Financial Institutions creating about 1.6 million jobs nationwide.
Under the new five year strategy, the Bank aims to reach more than two million MSMEs with deliberate targets for women led businesses, youth led businesses and underserved states.
On DAWN, Okpanachi said finance alone had not enabled enough women-led businesses to scale.
He said initiative brings together financing, guarantees and credit support, technical assistance, outcome linked grants and market linkages delivered through banks, microfinance institutions, fintechs, aggregators, cooperatives and direct channels.
Its priority sectors are agriculture and exports, healthcare, arts and creatives, technology and green business.
He said DAWN is about moving gender focused lending beyond intention and turning access into opportunity.
On the sidelines of the lecture DBN and African Development Bank held a signing ceremony of AfDB DBN 61 million United States dollars Gender Line of Credit development that reinforces Bank commitment to women led enterprises.
Okpanachi urged Participating Financial Institutions to extend lending into sectors and states where access to finance has been limited, policymakers and regulators to measure reform by what changes for business at end of chain and MSMEs to formalise, keep good records and use support now available.
The Vice President as Special Guest of Honour was represented by Dr Fred Iklaga Senior Technical Adviser in the Office of Special Adviser to the President on Economy.
Keynote speakers were Chief Executive Officer of MTN Nigeria, Dr Karl Toriola, and Chairman of Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority, Dr Segun Ogunsanya.
Fireside chat featured Chief Executive Officer of Sterling Bank Abubakar Suleiman, manufacturing and trade entrepreneur Mrs Omoyemi Chukwurah and by video Kola Masha of Babban Gona.
The Secretary to the Government of Federation, represented by Augusta Warren Bekaredebo, said 2026 tax reforms would bring relief to many small businesses expressing optimism that a lot of businesses will be smiling by next year because they will be exempted from tax.
By Tambaya Julius, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened possible nationwide industrial action following the failure of talks with the Federal Government over workers’ welfare, petrol prices and other outstanding labour demands.
The warning came after a meeting between the government and organised labour at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on Thursday, October 22, ended without an agreement.
The congress has given the Federal Government until Tuesday, October 27, to make meaningful progress on the issues, warning that its relevant organs would decide the next line of action if the next meeting fails to produce concrete commitments.
The NLC has also directed its affiliates, state councils and civil society allies to begin mobilising members for possible nationwide action.
In a statement issued after the meeting, the NLC Acting General Secretary, Benson Upah, expressed disappointment over what he described as the government delegation’s lack of preparedness for the negotiations.
According to the congress, organised labour presented its demands in good faith but left the meeting without any concrete commitments from the government.
The demands include a reduction in petrol prices to 2024 levels, renegotiation of the national minimum wage, implementation of agreed tax relief measures and resolution of the terms of settlement involving the Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU).
The congress also called for the resolution of issues raised by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC) over peculiar allowances, wage awards and hazard allowances.
The NLC said the government delegation lacked the necessary authority to engage meaningfully on the issues presented by labour representatives.
“The meeting between the Federal Government and organised labour, convened at the Ministry of Labour in Abuja on 22nd October 2026, has ended without resolution,” the statement said.
It added that the Minister of Labour requested that the meeting be adjourned until October 27 to allow the government to prepare adequately for further discussions.
The preparations, according to the statement, would include bringing relevant ministers and heads of departments and agencies to the negotiating table.
The congress said it remained open to dialogue but would not accept continued delays in addressing workers’ concerns.
“We will report back to our organs, and if no meaningful progress is made on Tuesday, the relevant organs of the NLC will decide the next line of action,” it said.
The labour body urged workers and members of the public to remain calm while the negotiations continue, even as it directed its affiliates and allies to prepare for possible industrial action.
“However, we urge all affiliates of NLC and TUC; all state councils and our civil society allies to be alert and start mobilising for a possible action across the nation while we hope that the tenets of our demands are met by the government,” the statement added.
The October 27 meeting is expected to provide another opportunity for both sides to address the outstanding issues and prevent a possible escalation of the dispute.
However, the NLC’s decision to begin mobilisation suggests that tensions could rise if the next round of talks fails to produce meaningful progress.
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has barred its personnel from escorting politicians during campaigns for the 2027 general elections.
Zonal Commanding Officer, RS6, ACM Abimbola Owolabi, gave the directive during her maiden visit to the Cross River Command in Calabar on Wednesday.
Owolabi said patrol vehicles and sirens must not be used for political activities or private engagements, including weddings and funeral processions.
She directed officers deployed to campaign venues to focus exclusively on traffic management to prevent congestion and road crashes.
The zonal head warned personnel against leading political convoys or providing escorts for politicians, stressing that official vehicles must not be used for unauthorised purposes.
NOA, Speaker Mobilise Northwest against Drug Abuse, Domestic Violence
ShareThe National Orientation Agency (NOA) and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, have launched a campaign against...
FG Calls for Stronger Agricultural Value Chains to Boost Food Security
ShareThe Federal Government has called for a stronger agricultural value chains, increased agro-industrialisation and improved market access to boost food...
Ododo Donates N35m for Takete-Ide Town Hall Project
ShareFrom Joseph Amedu, Lokoja Kogi State Governor, Ahmed Ododo has donated N35 million for the completion of the ongoing community...
NELFUND Loan Improves Graduate’s GPA to 3.50
ShareA graduate of the University of Maiduguri, Shianya Ebwaseh, said the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) helped improve her Grade...
FG Seeks Synergy Among Housing Agencies to Boost Housing Delivery
ShareThe Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Dr Muttaqha Darma, has called for synergy among government agencies in the housing...
Ondo SUBEB Charges 637 Newly Absorbed Teachers on Professionalism
ShareThe Ondo State Government has congratulated the 637 newly absorbed teachers and other personnel into the state public teaching service,...
NDDC Officials, Journalists Inspect 600-Metre Otuogori Bridge Project in Bayelsa
ShareFrom Mike Tayese, Yenagoa Officials of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), and journalists on Monday inspected the ongoing construction...
WAHO Seeks Uniform Standards for Health Professionals’ Education in ECOWAS
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja The West African Health Organisation (WAHO) has reaffirmed its commitment to harmonising the training, accreditation and...
2027: INEC Engages Adamawa PWDs on Electoral Process
ShareThe Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Adamawa has sensitised Persons Living with Disabilities (PWDs) on the electoral process ahead...
GAIYD Reaches 49,585 People, Targets 100 Per Cent Growth in Youth Devt Impact
ShareBy David Torough, Abuja The Great Achievers Initiative for Youth and Community Development (GAIYD) says it reached more than 49,585...