Akure: The Federal Government, through the Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC), has revealed that a significant 85 percent of mining activities in Nigeria are not registered. The NEPC has urged stakeholders in the solid minerals sector to formalize their activities to contribute to national development.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Mrs. Oyinkan Duke, the Chief Trade Promotion Officer in the Department of Solid Minerals Directorate at NEPC, highlighted this issue during a stakeholders’ meeting in Akure. The meeting, titled “The Strategic Programme on Formalisation of Solid Minerals for Export Competitiveness,” addressed the need for formalization in the sector. In her lecture, “The Imperatives of Formalisation of Artisanal Mining for Development,” Duke pointed out that there are misconceptions regarding the difficulty of obtaining licenses for mining activities. She assured that NEPC is collaborating with the State Committee on Export Promotion to better document mining activities in each state and encourage miners to form clusters for more efficient operations.
Duke emphasized that the Federal Government is discouraging the export of raw minerals to improve value chains and benefit the country. She stated that the ongoing meetings across various states aim to sensitize stakeholders about leveraging the sector’s potential for national development.
Earlier, Mrs. Nonye Ayeni, Chief Executive Officer of NEPC, noted the vast prospects within the sector for economic growth if all activities are properly formalized. Represented by Mrs. Florence Okafor, the State Coordinator of NEPC, Ayeni called on stakeholders to adopt strategies necessary to revitalize the sector. “Let us build a solid minerals ecosystem that supports prosperity, transparency, sustainability, and export growth. Let us commit to formalization as a pathway to competitiveness, value creation, and national development,” she said. Ayeni reiterated NEPC’s dedication to supporting exporters, strengthening value chains, and enhancing Nigeria’s global competitiveness.
Mrs. Folawe Sipasi-Aluko, the Special Senior Assistant on Mining to the State Governor, stressed the importance of having a genuine license for mining activities. She expressed concern over the prevalence of illegal mining, which deprives the government of revenue, and called for NEPC to partner with relevant organizations to tackle these illegal activities.
In alignment with these efforts, Mr. Toyin Oni, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Cooperative Services, acknowledged that the programme is consistent with the ministry’s goal of driving economic growth and development. Oni praised NEPC’s commitment to promoting the non-oil sector and affirmed that formalizing all activities in the sector will boost export competitiveness and promote sustainable development.