The Federal Government has intensified efforts to combat illegal mining by deploying technology-driven monitoring systems and strengthening enforcement through the Mining Marshals, the Director of the Integrated Processing and Marketing Department (IPMD) of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Esther Udo, has said.
Speaking during a panel session at the Delta State Economic and Investment Summit 2026, Udo said illegal mining has persisted for decades, tracing its roots to the decline of Nigeria’s formal mining industry following the country’s shift in focus to the oil and gas sector.
According to her, many former mining workers continued operating informally after mining companies shut down or scaled back operations, giving rise to widespread illegal mining activities.
She noted that with the Federal Government now prioritising solid minerals as a key driver of economic diversification, the Ministry has introduced several reforms to sanitise the sector.
One of the major initiatives, she said, is the establishment of the Mining Marshals, a specialised enforcement unit tasked with identifying illegal mining sites, removing unauthorised operators and ensuring compliance with mining regulations nationwide.
However, Udo acknowledged that enforcement alone cannot effectively cover the country’s numerous mining locations.Investing
To address this challenge, she said the Ministry is deploying technology to improve surveillance and enforcement.
“The Ministry is increasingly deploying technology-based monitoring systems to strengthen enforcement. These technologies will enable authorities to monitor mining activities remotely, identify illegal operations in real time and coordinate enforcement actions more effectively, even from Abuja.”
She added that the Federal Government is combining technology with stronger regulation and enforcement to improve compliance and progressively eliminate illegal mining across the country.
