From Ndubuisi Orji, Abuja
The House of Representatives has said it is committed to recovering the $9 billion lost annually to illicit mining activities in the country.
The Chairman, House Ad-hoc Committee on Illegal Mining, Sanni Abdulraheem, stated this at the inaugural meeting of the panel, on Wednesday, October 8, 2025. Abdulraheem expressed concern over the spate of illegal mining in the country, saying it undermines the country’s revenue, fuels criminality, and degrades the environment.
According to him, the panel has been saddled with the responsibility of coming up with measures to block revenue leakages and enforce transparency in the mining sector, so that the country’s mineral resources can contribute fully to economic development.
He said, “It is estimated that Nigeria loses approximately $9 billion annually due to illegal mining activities. This theft of our resources that should be enriching our nation has gone on for far too long, and it is time to put an end to it.”
“As we move forward, one of the core objectives of this Committee is to block the revenue leakages caused by illegal mining and its associated activities, which not only steal from our national treasury but also hinder the growth of legitimate mining operations that could contribute substantially to our national Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“Through structured oversight, we will strengthen Revenue Tracking Mechanisms and ensure that the full benefits of Nigeria’s mining sector flow directly into government coffers, rather than being siphoned off through illegal mining activities.
“Equally important is the issue of the criminality and environmental degradation linked to illegal mining. These activities not only fuel insecurity, but they also lead to the pollution of our waterways, the degradation of our forests, and the displacement of vulnerable communities.”