NUMW
The Nigerian Union of Mine Workers (NUMW) has outlined five priority areas for reforming Nigeria’s mining sector in a memorandum presented to the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering, while pledging to partner with the Mining Marshals to combat illegal mining.
The NUMW President, Comrade Hamza Muhammad, stated this on Monday while presenting the union’s memorandum to the House of Representatives Ad-Hoc Committee on Mineral Exploitation, Security and Anti-Money Laundering during a stakeholders’ workshop on extractive industries governance in Abuja.
He also said the union was ready to work with the Mining Marshals, government agencies, mining companies and host communities to sanitise the sector and improve governance.
He said the union’s five priorities are the establishment of a National Mining Skills Council, mandatory union registration and collective bargaining before workers are engaged, creation of a national database of mining companies and workers, government-backed mining cooperatives with Community Development Agreements (CDAs), and a worker welfare fund to curb revenue leakages.
Muhammad said NUMW’s nationwide presence positioned it to support government efforts through data collection, mobilisation of mine workers and serving as a bridge between government, mining operators and host communities.
“With skills, data, safety, workers’ rights and partnership with NUMW and Mining Marshals, we can sanitise the sector, secure our communities and grow Nigeria’s revenue,” he said.
The union president described illegal mining as a major threat to national security, government revenue, the environment and workers’ welfare, stressing that effective regulation requires reliable information on mining activities across the country.
“You cannot control what you don’t know. We must know the number of workers and functional mining sites in each state,” he said.
Beyond the five priorities, Muhammad called for tripartite governance involving government, employers and workers, stronger protection for mine workers, the establishment of a formalisation fund, strict enforcement of Community Development Agreements and the inclusion of a “no child labour” clause in mining legislation.
“A child must be in school, not in the pit,” he said.
He commended the House committee for convening the stakeholders’ workshop, describing it as a timely initiative to strengthen governance of the extractive sector.
Muhammad noted that the Federal Government’s reported increase in revenue from the solid minerals sector—from ₦6 billion in 2023 to over ₦70 billion by June 2025—demonstrated the industry’s vast potential when supported by sound policies and effective oversight.
He reaffirmed the union’s commitment to working with the Mining Marshals and other stakeholders to formalise mining operations, protect workers and maximise the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s economy.
