The Nigerian government has increased efforts to policing the mining sector, raiding dozens of unlicensed operations since April for stealing lithium, used in production of electric vehicle batteries, smartphones, and power stations.
The crackdown comes as Nigeria attempts to formalize its mining industry in a bid to par down illicit activities and to optimally harness the products. The global demand for lithium has increased because of the transition towards renewable sources of energy.
However, corruption plus lack of government structures in the out-of-bounds regions has caused a number of unlawful mining activities, which empowered the militia in the north.
Earlier in mid-May, a combined team of military and police stormed a market in Kishi, Oyo State, arresting 32 people, two of them Chinese. The market, which was initially associated with the production of farm produce, had now degenerated to a market for illegal lithium traders.
Jimoh Bioku, a community leader, stated that Chinese individuals were involved in secret exploration of lithium and hired people to mine the resource, turning the market into a transit hub.
According to president Bola Tinubu, Illegal mining of metallic minerals has compounded the conflicts in the northern region and requested international assistance to cease the activity. Currently, the Chinese embassy in Abuja has not made any statement regarding the arrests though it had earlier advised Chinese citizens in Nigeria to respect the Nigerian laws.
Nigeria has steadily assumed a position of relevance as a source of lithium metal on the African continent, nevertheless, the illicit extraction of the resource costs the government a tonne of revenue. SBM Intelligence Emeka Okoro pointed out that companies hire workers from conflict areas and exploit them. The government estimated that due to theft of resources the nation is losing $9 billion every year.
In response to this problem, the Nigerian government has created a 2,200-member mining enforcement team called the “corps of mining marshals.” The corps has carried out numerous arrests and confiscations, including two trucks of lithium in April near the capital of Abuja, and four Chinese citizens in Nasarawa State.
The government is also providing support to the artisanal miners in such areas as Jos to form legal cooperatives.
