Nigeria can be a key player in the global mineral value chain. However, steps must be taken to protect future generations from going done the mines in search of quick cash, writes Mohammed Isah.

Nigeria is already a key exporter of crude oil and natural gas with Africa’s largest proven gas reserves. As the world moves away from fossil fuels, the country is positioning itself as a significant supplier of lithium and other critical minerals that are crucial for rechargeable batteries and electric vehicles (EVs). According to the International Energy Agency’s 2024 Global Critical Minerals Outlook, lithium demand is expected to increase eightfold by 2040, driven by the rapid growth of EVs and grid storage. This presents a major opportunity for Nigeria to play a pivotal role in the global energy transition and lithium market.

Nigeria’s mineral wealth is becoming increasingly important as the country seeks to diversify its economy beyond oil, strengthen strategic partnerships, and create jobs for its growing youth population. To meet rising global demand, governments and industries are intensifying efforts to explore and develop new lithium sources. However, securing a stable supply chain requires collaboration between governments, private sector players, and local communities.

A crucial but often overlooked stakeholder in the lithium value chain is Nigeria’s artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM). There is a general consensus among mining and development experts that ASM is a poverty-driven activity that provides livelihoods for millions. While Nigeria lacks official data on ASM employment, the Nigeria Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative reported in 2023 that it has enumerated 293 ASM cooperatives, comprising 4,663 miners. In 2018, Nigeria’s then Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari estimated that over two million people depend on ASM for their livelihood. The UN Development Programme estimates that ASM accounts for over 70 per cent of Nigerian mining.

The complex reality of ASM in Nigeria

Despite its significance as an economic activity, ASM has severe negative consequences including environmental degradation, health hazards, and the disruption of the social and moral fabric of mining communities. While the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (2007) recognises ASM as a legal activity, most ASM sites in Nigeria operate illegally due to a lack of government oversight, corruption, and weak leadership. This has led to a widespread perception of ASM as a harmful, unregulated sector. However, viewing ASM solely as an economic evil is an oversimplification.

In Nasarawa State there are numerous young men and women who should be in school but instead mine Columbite-Tantalite, Lithium and Tin under the scorching sun.

“I lost my father due to the insecurity caused by the mining boom. My mother cannot afford school fees, so I had to drop out and mine COLTAN to support my family.”

At a local primary school, only a handful of pupils attend class. Many others have joined their parents or siblings at mining sites. In a particular community of over five thousand people, just over fifty children were found attending school on a regular school day. The ASM sites were overrun with underage children and teenagers exposed to hazardous conditions and social vices.

ASM has also caused environmental destruction. Surface water sources were contaminated from ore washing, and untreated mining waste (tailings) was dumped indiscriminately. Noise and air pollution were rampant, worsened by constant generator use to power small mining equipment. Additionally, the influx of mining activities led to a rise in crime, erosion of social values, drug and alcohol abuse, and a decline in agricultural productivity, which has deepened the social and economic struggles of these communities.

ASM provides income for many but at an enormous cost to the health of the workers, education of children, and the environment. To strike the right balance, Nigeria needs to address some key challenges.

1. Stronger governance and regulation

A significant portion of ASM’s negative impact stems from weak governance. Had security measures been effective, the young miner mentioned above might not have lost his father. With better law enforcement and community engagement, illegal ASM could be curbed while ensuring miners operate within safe and sustainable guidelines.

2. Education as a priority

If the Nigerian government implemented scholarships and student loan programs at primary and secondary levels, many of these children would still be in school. The Child Rights Act, already adopted in 24 of 36 Nigerian states, must be enforced rigorously to prevent child labour in mining communities.

3. Equitable distribution of revenue

ASM communities receive little benefit from the wealth generated from their lands. If revenues from mining were fairly distributed—through infrastructure, education funding, and local development initiatives—many families would not have to rely on child labour in mines.

4. Legalisation and support for responsible ASM

The government should formalise and regulate ASM, ensuring compliance with safety and environmental standards. Providing technical training, financial support, and cooperative structures for small-scale miners would help create sustainable mining practices that do not harm future generations.

ASM is not inherently bad and provides livelihoods for many. The problem lies in illegal and exploitative practices that harm communities and endanger children’s futures.

If nothing changes, Nigeria risks sacrificing an entire generation to the mines. Ensuring children stay in school must be a national priority because the cost of neglecting education is simply too high for a country that already has over 18 million children out of school.

Photo credit: IIED used with permission CC BY-NC-ND 2.0