Zamfara’s Mining Revival: FG Lifts Ban After Five Years – What It Means for Investors
The Federal Government has lifted the ban on mining activities in Zamfara State, which had been in place since 2019 due to security concerns linking illegal mining to banditry.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, announced that the decision follows significant improvements in the state’s security situation.
He emphasized that resuming mining operations would boost economic activities, given Zamfara’s rich deposits of gold, lithium, and copper.
Alake noted that the previous ban had inadvertently allowed illegal miners to exploit the state’s resources, resulting in revenue losses.
He assured that the government has implemented measures to protect legitimate mining operations and ensure that the sector contributes positively to the nation’s economy.
The lifting of the ban is expected to facilitate better regulation of mining activities, enhance intelligence gathering to combat illegal mining, and provide benefits to host communities through corporate social responsibility initiatives by mining companies.
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