Alake and NIMC Partner to Deploy Digital Identity to Combat Illegal Mining in Nigeria

The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have agreed to deploy digital identity infrastructure to strengthen regulation, improve transparency and curb illegal mining as part of ongoing reforms in Nigeria's solid minerals sector.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, disclosed this in Abuja while receiving the Director-General of NIMC, Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and the commission's management during a courtesy visit.

Alake said effective governance and security could no longer be achieved without credible identity management, stressing that technology, data and digital identity had become critical tools for regulation, investment and national development. "NIMC occupies a critical position in translating policy into reality. Governance today is driven by data, technology and credible identity systems," he said.

The minister explained that the ongoing transformation of the mining sector required strong collaboration with institutions responsible for identity management to improve accountability and strengthen regulatory enforcement. According to him, establishing a robust identity framework would enable authorities to distinguish licensed operators from illegal miners while improving surveillance of mining activities nationwide.

"Without identification, we cannot trace; we cannot track, and insecurity will flourish. In the solid minerals sector, we need effective tracking of both legal and illegal operations. A credible identity ecosystem will strengthen regulation, improve enforcement and support our efforts to sanitise the sector," Alake said.

The minister identified technology, data collection, statistics and digital identity as essential tools for evidence-based policymaking, efficient licensing, investment promotion and sustainable development.

NIMC Director-General and Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Abisoye Coker-Odusote, said the recently enacted NIMC Act 2026 has positioned Nigeria to fully embrace a digital governance ecosystem. She said integrating identity management into the solid minerals sector would improve database integration across government agencies, strengthen regulatory compliance, enhance security, improve monitoring of mining operators and support the implementation of Community Development Agreements.

According to the statement signed by the minister's Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, the Act is expected to accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data sharing, enhance public service delivery, strengthen law enforcement, promote transparency and accountability, and support the growth of Nigeria's digital economy.

The statement added that by providing every eligible Nigerian and legal resident with a trusted digital identity, the legislation marks a major milestone in the country's transition to more efficient, technology-driven governance.

She said integrating NIMC's digital identity infrastructure into the mining sector would improve interagency data integration, strengthen regulatory compliance, and enhance security. According to her, the collaboration would also improve monitoring of mining operators, support law enforcement, and facilitate the implementation of Community Development Agreements between mining companies and host communities. She added that a robust digital identity system would improve transparency, strengthen service delivery, and enable more efficient data sharing across government agencies.

Mr Alake said integrating digital identity into the mining sector would enable government agencies to properly identify operators, monitor mining activities, and distinguish legitimate licence holders from illegal miners.

The push for stronger digital identity integration comes amid the Federal Government's efforts to reform Nigeria's solid minerals sector, which has continued to face challenges including illegal mining, weak monitoring of operators, insecurity and inadequate data on activities across the value chain. The government has repeatedly said that better regulation, improved data and stronger enforcement are critical to unlocking the sector's contribution to the economy and reducing the activities of illegal miners.

Nigeria sits on one of the most diverse and valuable mineral deposits in Africa, with proven reserves of gold, iron ore, zinc, lead, lithite, coal, bitumen, and dozens of other commercially valuable minerals. Yet despite this natural endowment, illegal artisanal and small-scale mining has continued to plague the sector, depriving the government of revenue, creating serious environmental damage, fuelling insecurity, and often financing criminal networks.

The use of mercury and other toxic chemicals in illegal gold mining operations has caused environmental disasters in states including Zamfara and Osun, while the export of illegally mined minerals through unofficial channels has cost the country billions of dollars in lost revenue annually.

Alake emphasised that technology, statistics, data gathering and digital identity were critical enablers for evidence-based policymaking, improved regulatory oversight, efficient licensing, investment promotion and national development. He said that the ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector required robust collaboration with institutions such as NIMC to strengthen transparency and accountability across the mining value chain.

The Tinubu administration has also introduced reforms to attract responsible investment into mining, improve transparency, strengthen licensing procedures, and ensure Nigeria derives greater economic benefits from its vast mineral resources.

Both parties expressed commitment to strengthen collaboration through technology-driven initiatives to support the ministry's ongoing reforms. They said the partnership would also improve governance, reinforce security, and contribute to sustainable development in Nigeria's mining sector.

The meeting also highlighted the significance of the recently signed National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act 2026, which provides a stronger legal framework for Nigeria's digital identity ecosystem. The Act is expected to accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data integration, enhance public service delivery, strengthen law enforcement, promote transparency and accountability, and lay a solid foundation for a modern digital economy.