FG Invests N2.5 Billion in Satellite Gadgets to Monitor Illegal Mining

Nigerian Government Approves N2.5 Billion Satellite Surveillance System to Combat Illegal Mining

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has sanctioned the procurement of a satellite surveillance system valued at N2.5 billion to help monitor and address illegal mining operations throughout Nigeria. This decision was announced by Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, during a briefing with State House reporters following the FEC meeting on Monday.

Alake explained that the new technology will create an integrated framework designed to oversee mining activities, minimize revenue losses, and monitor unauthorized mineral extraction efforts. “We are setting up satellite equipment and gadgets that will be strategically placed across the country, providing us with real-time visual monitoring of ongoing operations at various sites,” he stated.

The satellite system will grant authorities immediate access to mining activities, enabling them to evaluate the quantity of minerals extracted, track the number of trucks transporting these resources, and oversee security situations at mining locations. “There will be an operational center equipped with a display, which will also extend to my office,” he elaborated. “With just a click, we can view any mining site and obtain information on the volume of minerals extracted, the number of trucks leaving, and the surrounding security status.”

Two-Pronged Strategy to Tackle Illegal Mining

Alake detailed the government’s dual approach to combat illegal mining: one that combines both persuasive and coercive methods. On the more persuasive front, the government is promoting the formation of cooperative societies among artisanal miners, thus allowing them to operate lawfully, access financial resources, and thereby contribute to national revenue.

“When artisanal miners organize into cooperatives, it leads to a structured, formalized, and legalized operation that benefits the nation,” Alake stated. “This structure enables them to become bankable, allowing access to loans from financial institutions for business expansion, while also fulfilling their obligations to the Nigerian government.” He noted that more than 300 mining cooperatives have been established to date.

For those illegal miners who are resistant to compliance, the government is employing a coercive approach, highlighted by the establishment of Mining Marshalls tasked with enforcing regulations. Alake reported that numerous illegal miners, including foreign nationals, have been apprehended, prosecuted, and convicted.

Concerns Over High-Level Involvement in Illegal Mining

Adams Oshiomole, former Governor of Edo State and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Interior, has recently claimed that retired military generals and other influential figures are involved in illegal mining activities. He has urged the federal government to treat illegal miners of solid minerals with the same severity as it does oil bunkers. To date, no investigations have been initiated following Oshiomole’s allegations.