Effective sector development requires clear law and predictable implementation. Nigeria’s legal framework is led by the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007 (the core statute that vests mineral ownership in the state and regulates licensing and land acquisition). While the Act provides the statutory baseline, practical implementation is executed through administrative mechanisms (licensing, mining cadastre, environmental approvals) and newer policy instruments that emphasise value addition and formalisation. ASMMMON’s advocacy must therefore be two-track: defend members’ operational realities in the near term (permit timelines, licensing fees, multiple taxation) while shaping medium-term policy (local processing conditionality, beneficiation incentives, ASM formalisation). FAOLEX+1
Key regulatory realities and trends ASMMMON must engage:
• The Minerals and Mining Act (2007) continues to be the legal foundation; however, administrative practice—and ministerial policy directives—are driving recent shifts (e.g., preference for licence applicants who commit to local processing). ASMMMON should build a legal advisory desk to help members interpret obligations under the Act and related regulations. Reuters+1
• Federal enforcement has recently focused on illegal extraction and export of high-value minerals (notably lithium and gold). This includes special enforcement units and the creation of a mining marshals corps to fight illegal mining and resource-crime. ASMMMON must position its members as part of the formal solution: support cooperative registration, provide traceability, and offer secure reporting channels to reduce the illicit market. AP News
• Data discrepancies across institutions (NEITI and other auditing bodies have flagged inconsistent reporting) undermine sector planning. The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has reported low GDP shares from the sector in recent years, reflecting reporting gaps and under-valuation. ASMMMON can push for transparent, standardised production and revenue reporting among members, which improves policy decisions and investor confidence. Vanguard News+1
Practical, short-term ASMMMON actions:
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Host a policy roundtable with the Ministry’s regulatory team, NEITI and state mining offices to agree on a three-point roadmap for improved reporting and licensing timelines.
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Offer a standard charter of compliance for members that will be presented to the Ministry as a voluntary commitment (EHS, royalty reporting, and export documentation).
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Establish a working group on value addition that drafts template investment proposals for processing facilities — enabling members to present bankable plans to private and public investors.
Rationale: if ASMMMON successfully eases friction between government policy aims and miners’ operational constraints, it will enhance both compliance and the speed at which policy objectives—local processing, job creation, formalisation—are achieved.
