Illegal Chinese Mining Erodes Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Sector

By Bradley Riviera | MiningFocus Africa

Nigerian authorities have arrested dozens of Chinese nationals on illegal mining charges in recent years. Enforcement has improved since 2022, when the government put more emphasis on mineral mining as a way to diversify an economy dominated by oil and natural gas. ECONOMIC & FINANCIAL CRIMES COMMISSION

Illegal mining operations linked to Chinese nationals are undermining Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, causing environmental damage, social displacement and significant revenue losses, according to a new report by the Renevlyn Development Initiative (RDI).

The report, Silent Conquest: The Chinese Infiltration of Nigeria’s Solid Minerals Sector, examines mining activity between 2018 and 2025, with a particular focus on developments since 2022, when Nigeria intensified efforts to develop mineral mining as part of its strategy to diversify an economy dominated by oil and gas.

Weak Enforcement and Community Impact

RDI’s analysis highlights mineral-rich states including Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Osun, Plateau and Zamfara, where illegal mining and foreign involvement are most prevalent.

“In many host communities, illegal operations have turned farmlands, forests and riverbeds into unregulated extraction fields,” the report states, noting widespread environmental degradation, rising social tensions and the displacement of local residents. RDI argues that weak regulatory oversight and corruption among security forces have allowed foreign operators to mine with little regard for environmental standards or community welfare.

“The broader implication is that Nigeria’s control over its strategic mineral resources is eroding from within,” the report concludes.

Economic Stakes Remain High

Nigeria is endowed with commercially valuable minerals including lithium, fluorite, tin, titanium and lead, as well as rare-earth elements such as cerium, lanthanum and thorium, which are critical to modern technologies. RDI estimates Nigeria’s mineral endowment to be worth around US$700 billion.

Despite this potential, mining contributes less than 1% to Nigeria’s gross domestic product, compared with oil and gas, which account for roughly 90% of GDP. According to RDI, illegal mining operations are preventing the sector from becoming a meaningful driver of diversification and fiscal stability.

Arrests and Enforcement Efforts

In recent years, Nigerian authorities have increased enforcement actions. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other agencies have arrested dozens of Chinese nationals on illegal mining charges.

In July 2025, seven Chinese nationals were arrested for mining without permits in Akwa Ibom, while similar arrests were reported in Nasarawa and Plateau states. Investigations revealed that many suspects entered Nigeria on tourist visas before engaging in illegal mining activities.

Security and Humanitarian Risks

Beyond economic losses, RDI warns that illegal mining contributes to broader insecurity. The report links unregulated mining activities to the empowerment of criminal groups, the expansion of illicit trafficking routes and instability across parts of Nigeria’s North-West and North-Central regions.

Research cited from ENACT suggests that armed group involvement in illegal mining has exacerbated arms smuggling, violent conflict and kidnapping, including the abduction of women and girls for forced labour in mining sites.

Calls for Stronger Governance

RDI has renewed calls for decisive government action, urging Nigerian authorities to tighten control over the sector and prevent solid minerals from becoming another case of long-term resource mismanagement.