The National Publicity Secretary of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Engr. Fatai Jimoh, has expressed deep concern over the recent hike in annual service fees, stating that the increase is frustrating indigenous miners and stifling the growth of the local mining industry.
Speaking during an interview at the 10th edition of the ongoing Miners’ Week in Abuja, Engr. Jimoh emphasized that one of the major challenges facing indigenous miners is the high cost of mining operations in Nigeria a situation worsened by government policies.
“The mining industry cannot reach its full potential without the active participation and support of indigenous miners,” he said.
He noted that the Miners’ Week, originally launched as a local initiative to bring together miners and stakeholders, has grown into an internationally recognized platform, now attracting global attention. However, despite this progress, the Nigerian mining sector continues to face significant hurdles.
According to Engr. Jimoh, one of the most pressing issues is the steep increase in government-imposed fees. He revealed that annual service fees for miners have surged by over 1,000 percent within the past year alone. “This massive hike is detrimental to local miners. If we are truly committed to developing Nigeria’s mining sector, we must ensure that indigenous miners are empowered and not priced out of business,” he argued. He called for a tiered fee structure, suggesting that foreign operators should pay higher rates than local miners in order to level the playing field and encourage domestic investment in the sector.
Engr. Jimoh also expressed fears over the increasing dominance of foreign entities in Nigeria’s mining industry, warning that allowing foreign interests to take over could undermine national development and return the country to a “pre-independence” scenario.
He criticized the lack of financial support from the federal government, stating that in the past five years, no indigenous miner has been able to secure a government loan — a situation he described as unacceptable.
“If the government expects significant revenue from the solid minerals sector, then it must also invest in the sector — through funding, training, and grants,” he added.
Engr. Jimoh concluded by lamenting that the few available support programs are often allocated to civil servants in the ministry, rather than to the miners who truly need them. “It’s painful to see that the miners, who are at the heart of the industry, are left out of crucial funding opportunities,” he said.
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