Nigeria Launches GEF GOLD+ Project to Formalize Artisanal Mining
Nigeria Launches GEF GOLD+ Project to Formalize Artisanal Mining.
The Federal Government of Nigeria, in partnership with the Global Environment Facility (GEF) and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), has launched the GEF GOLD+ Nigeria Project. This significant intervention marks a decisive step toward formalizing the country’s vast artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) sector, a move that promises both economic prosperity and critical environmental protection.
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The project, which is part of the global PlanetGOLD Programme, aims to address the multi-faceted challenges of informal mining.
The Dual Objectives of GEF GOLD+
The GEF GOLD+ Nigeria Project operates on a holistic, multi-sectoral approach centered around two core objectives:
1. Environmental Health and Safety
The most urgent goal is to achieve compliance with the Minamata Convention on Mercury, which Nigeria has signed. Artisanal mining is the largest global source of anthropogenic mercury pollution. The GEF GOLD+ project will focus on:
Mercury Elimination: Significantly reducing and, where feasible, eliminating the use of mercury in gold extraction processes across the pilot states.
Cleaner Technology Uptake: Facilitating the transition of artisanal miners to mercury-free technologies and best practices, such as gravity-based separation methods, which are safer and often more efficient for gold recovery.
Health and Awareness: Developing public health strategies to prevent mercury exposure, especially among vulnerable populations, including women and children who are often involved in handling the toxic substance.
2. Formalization and Economic Inclusion:
The informal nature of the ASGM sector has historically resulted in illegal gold smuggling, significant loss of government revenue, and instability for the miners themselves. The project aims to integrate miners into the legal framework by:
Optimizing Formalization: Streamlining the process for artisanal miners to register, form cooperatives, and obtain legal tenure and licenses. This provides them with security and legitimacy.
Access to Finance and Markets: Creating pilot models for financial inclusion, providing miners with access to credit, and establishing responsible, traceable gold supply chains. This ensures they can sell their mercury-free gold at fair, formal market prices.
Job Creation and Poverty Reduction: Aligning with the Federal Government’s national development agenda to reduce poverty, create jobs, and foster economic growth in mining host communities.
Pilot States and Stakeholder Cooperation
The GEF GOLD+ Nigeria Project will concentrate its initial efforts in four states identified as having high levels of ASGM activity and an urgent need for intervention:
Zamfara State
Kaduna State
Niger State
Kebbi State
The success of the project is dependent on a strong collaborative framework involving key stakeholders: the Federal Ministry of Environment, the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, state governments, UNIDO, civil society organizations, financial institutions, and the ASGM communities themselves.
A Beacon of Hope for Sustainable Mining.
The GEF GOLD+ Project is more than an environmental initiative; it is a transformative intervention that seeks to unlock the full, legitimate economic potential of Nigeria’s gold resources while safeguarding its people and environment. By providing the tools, technology, and legal pathways necessary for a cleaner, safer, and more economically viable gold mining sector, Nigeria is setting a precedent for sustainable resource governance in West Africa.
