FG to deploy digital identity to tackle illegal mining

The Federal Government is stepping up efforts to reform the solid minerals industry by leveraging digital identity technology to improve oversight, identify mining operators and combat illegal activities across the sector.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, disclosed the plan while hosting the Director-General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Identity Management Commission, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, and members of her management team during a courtesy visit in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Sunday by the minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Lara Owoeye-Wise, the ministry said both organisations were exploring closer cooperation aimed at integrating digital identity solutions into the mining industry to enhance governance, transparency and security.

Alake described NIMC as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s development agenda, noting that modern governance depends heavily on reliable identity systems, technology and quality data.

“NIMC occupies a critical position in translating policy into reality. It is pivotal to the development of any nation because governance today is driven by data, technology and credible identity systems,” the minister said.

He 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,” he said.

Alake also identified digital identity, technology, data collection and statistical analysis as essential tools for evidence-based policymaking, effective licensing processes, stronger regulation and attracting investment into the industry.

He added that dependable data would give government agencies clearer insight into activities within the sector, allowing them to formulate policies that promote sustainable growth.

The initiative forms part of broader government efforts to address persistent challenges in the mining industry, including illegal mining, weak regulatory oversight, insecurity and inadequate data on operators. Authorities believe that stronger regulation, supported by reliable digital information, will help unlock the sector’s economic potential while reducing unlawful activities.

Speaking earlier, Coker-Odusote outlined several areas where NIMC could support the ministry’s reform agenda.

She said the recently enacted NIMC Act 2026 had reinforced the country’s legal framework for digital identity management and opened the door for wider adoption of identity solutions across government institutions.

According to her, integrating NIMC’s digital identity infrastructure into the mining sector would facilitate database integration among government agencies, improve compliance with regulations and strengthen security operations.

She also said it would enhance the monitoring of mining operators and provide stronger support for the implementation of Community Development Agreements in mining host communities.

Coker-Odusote noted that dependable digital identity systems would enable government agencies to maintain more accurate records while improving transparency and service delivery.

She added that the new legislation would promote secure identity verification, enhance information sharing among government agencies and improve the delivery of public services to Nigerians and legal residents.

The NIMC chief said the commission’s digital infrastructure could help establish a more reliable identity ecosystem for the mining industry, enabling regulators to verify operators more effectively and strengthen nationwide monitoring.

Both organisations reaffirmed their commitment to working together on technology-driven initiatives designed to improve governance, transparency, accountability and security in the management of Nigeria’s mineral resources.