FG deploys NIMC identity system to curb illegal mining

The federal government is integrating the National Identity Management Commission’s (NIMC) digital identity infrastructure into the solid minerals sector as part of efforts to curb illegal mining, strengthen regulatory oversight and improve governance across the industry.

Dele Alake, minister of solid minerals development, disclosed this in a statement issued by Lara Owoeye-Wise, his special assistant on media, on Sunday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the minister announced the partnership while receiving Abisoye Coker-Odusote, director-general of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), during a courtesy visit to the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

Alake said the partnership is expected to support ongoing reforms aimed at formalising mining operations, improving transparency and attracting investment.

The minister said a credible digital identity system would enable authorities to better trace and monitor mining operators, making it easier to distinguish legitimate operators from illegal ones.

“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.

According to the minister, digital identity, technology, and reliable data have become essential tools for evidence-based policymaking, efficient licensing, investment promotion, and national security.

He said collaboration with NIMC would strengthen transparency and accountability across the mining value chain, adding that effective governance depends on a credible identity management system capable of supporting data-driven regulation.

The partnership comes as the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development intensifies reforms aimed at formalising Nigeria’s largely informal mining industry, improving revenue collection and addressing security concerns linked to illegal mining activities.

Coker-Odusote said the recently enacted NIMC Act 2026 provides a stronger legal framework for digital identity management and positions Nigeria to deepen digital governance across sectors.

She said integrating NIMC’s identity infrastructure into the mining industry would facilitate data sharing across government agencies, improve regulatory compliance, and strengthen security and law enforcement.

The system, she added, would also enhance the monitoring of mining operators and support the implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs) in host communities, while enabling government agencies to build more reliable databases, improve service delivery and foster greater transparency.

She said the collaboration would leverage technology-driven initiatives to improve governance, reinforce security and support sustainable development in Nigeria’s mining sector.

The NIMC Act 2026 is expected to accelerate secure identity verification, improve inter-agency data integration, strengthen transparency and accountability in public administration, and lay the foundation for broader adoption of digital identity across the economy.