Resource governance: Examining laws regulating mining of mineral resources in Nigeria with emphasis on gold mining and its effect on the security of life and environment.

Abstract

Nigeria is blessed with abundant resources including gold and other mineral and natural resources. However, gold mining in Nigeria has continue to posed a threat both to security of life and the environment. The main objective of the study is to examine laws regulating mining of mineral and natural resources in Nigeria with emphasis on gold mining and to identify the effects of gold mining on security of life and environment. The study adopts doctrinal and comparative research methods making reference to other jurisdictions with gold deposit as previous studies were mainly doctrinal and not comparative. The findings indicate that there is no specific legislation in Nigeria that regulates gold mining apart from the Minerals and Mining Act 2007 regulating mining and exploration of all forms of solid  minerals which gives room for illegal mining contrary to what is obtainable in some
jurisdictions like Ghana and Brazil that have some specific regulations on gold mining. The study suggests for policy review, legislative amendment(s) and or enacting specific legislation that would regulate gold mining and all forms of illegal mining. The study equally recommends for deployment of advanced technology in the mining sector as this would ensure more protection and improve security, safety and wellbeing of people in the affected area as well as environment in such a way that government would benefit more from the abundant gold deposit in Nigeria.