The Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) has strongly pushed back against a proposed six-month ban on mining activities in Nigeria’s northern states, arguing that curbing legal mining is not a viable solution to security challenges.
In a statement signed by its national president Dele Ayankale and national secretary Sulaiman Liman, MAN said that “only illegal mining” — not regulated, licensed operations — has been linked to terrorism and other crimes.
The statement warned that a sweeping ban would unfairly punish legitimate miners and their workers while giving “room to illegal operations.”
The pushback follows a demand by the Northern States Governors’ Forum (NSGF), which recently recommended suspending mining activities for six months to enable a full audit and revalidation of mining licences. The governors cited concerns that illegal mining has been fueling kidnappings, banditry, and other security incidents in the North.
Ayankale argued that previous bans — such as the 2019 suspension in Zamfara State — had failed to improve security. Instead, he said, “the negatives outweigh the positives,” with violence spreading further into neighbouring states.
He emphasized that legitimate mining companies under MAN operate under regulation, contribute to rural development through community agreements, and support infrastructure and jobs. According to him, banning mining now — when investment is beginning to flow into the solid-minerals sector — would be “unjust… and highly unpatriotic.”
MAN therefore urged the federal government to reject the proposed ban and instead strengthen efforts to curb illegal mining — for example, by providing resources to law enforcement or creating special funds to support legal oversight.
The association warned that a blanket suspension could worsen poverty and unemployment, potentially driving more people — including the vulnerable — toward illegal and criminal mining operations.
