Representatives of mining host communities from across West Africa have issued a powerful call for urgent reforms in mineral governance, as the 5th West African Mining Host Communities Indaba concluded in Abuja.
Held from 22 to 26 September 2025 and organized by Global Rights and its partners, the event brought together community leaders, civil society organisations, policymakers, regulators, miners, and development partners to discuss the future of mining in the region and the rights of those most affected by it.
Centred on the theme “Contextualising Green Mining within the Principle of Free, Prior, and Informed Consent (FPIC),” the Indaba reaffirmed its position as a people-led, rights-driven platform committed to justice, transparency, and inclusive governance in the extractive industries.
According to a communique released to journalists at the end of the conference, the gathering opened with a Just Energy Transition (JET) session, which set the tone for five days of intense dialogue around the intersection of mining, climate action, and social justice.
A major concern raised by participants was the risk that the global shift to clean energy, driven by the demand for critical transition minerals, could cause a fresh round exploitation if not properly monitored.
“Unless mining governance is grounded in FPIC, environmental justice, gender equality, and transparency, the vision of ‘green mining’ will remain a façade concealing continued harm and exclusion,” participants warned in their closing communiqué.
Throughout the discussions, participants argued that communities must be recognised not merely as passive sites of mineral extraction, but as active, equal partners in decisions that affect their land, environment, and livelihoods. The Indaba served as both a forum for dialogue and a coordinated call to action.
Four major challenges were identified as undermining mining governance across the subregion. These include outdated and inconsistent legal frameworks, widespread environmental degradation, entrenched exclusion of local communities—particularly women, youth, and persons with disabilities—and a failure to translate mineral wealth into meaningful local economic development.
Many participants highlighted contradictions between land and mining laws and the FPIC principle, which continue to enable exploitation and conflict.
Environmental impacts were especially concerning. Mercury contamination, open-pit mining, deforestation, and polluted water sources were all cited as serious and ongoing threats to health, agriculture, and food security. Participants also criticised the lack of climate-smart mining practices and the weak implementation of existing environmental safeguards.
The forum was equally critical of global institutions and platforms such as COP and the UN Business and Human Rights Forum, where, it was argued, voices from mining host communities and indigenous groups remain largely excluded.
“The power dynamics are still skewed in favour of the Global North and multinational companies,” one community leader noted. “Our voices remain unheard and our priorities unrecognised.”
A series of key resolutions emerged from the Indaba. Foremost among them was a call for urgent legislative and institutional reform to align West African mining laws with international standards and human rights instruments, including the African Charter and the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights.
Participants urged the Nigerian government to fast-track the passage of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act (Amendment) Bill 2023, and called on other states in the region to undertake similar reforms.
FPIC was repeatedly highlighted as a cornerstone of responsible mining. Delegates stressed that consent must not be a one-time consultation, but a continuous process throughout the mining lifecycle—from exploration and licensing to closure and reclamation.
They also stated that Community Development Agreements (CDAs) should be transparent, made public, and translated into local languages to ensure meaningful participation. Delegates also called for the creation of Advocacy and Legal Support Clinics to help communities navigate negotiations and assert their rights.
To promote accountability and transparency, the Indaba proposed the creation of a real-time, publicly accessible mining cadastral portal to monitor licences, track compliance, and expose irregularities. Additional tools such as Community Mining Observatories and development and impact scorecards were recommended to ensure government and company promises are monitored and measured.
Environmental protection and climate justice also featured prominently. Delegates demanded the immediate reclamation of degraded lands and remediation of mercury-polluted areas. They also called for grievance redress mechanisms and protection measures for environmental defenders and community activists, including the creation of risk protection funds.
“A just energy transition cannot come at the cost of local communities,” a civil society representative stated. “Transition minerals must serve both global demand and local justice.”
On gender equality, the Indaba demanded that governments and mining companies move from rhetoric to action by implementing gender-responsive budgeting, conducting regular gender audits, and supporting women through leadership and economic programmes. The inclusion of youth and persons with disabilities was also strongly emphasised.
Artisanal and small-scale miners (ASM), often marginalised in official mining policy, were another focus. Delegates called for their formal recognition, capacity building, and integration into sustainable and legally protected value chains.
Looking ahead to the upcoming COP30 and G20 summits, the Indaba issued several international recommendations. These include the establishment of a Global Extractives Justice Fund for communities affected by mining, binding commitments to fair value distribution, and the negotiation of Community Energy Transition Agreements (CETAs) to ensure local communities benefit from the clean energy transition.
To strengthen advocacy and monitoring efforts, participants endorsed the creation of a West African Federation of Mining Host Communities, intended to coordinate reforms, promote solidarity, and present progress reports at the next Indaba in 2026.
“West Africa’s mineral wealth is a shared heritage,” the communiqué concluded. “It must serve the well-being of both current and future generations.”
Delegates urged governments, mining companies, and development partners to act decisively on the resolutions before the 2026 Indaba, committing to reconvene to assess progress, share experiences, and renew their commitment to people-first mineral governance.
