The Nigerian Senate has passed a landmark bill to establish the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service (NMRS) — a specialised agency designed to curb illegal mining, protect the environment, and ensure safer, more sustainable mineral exploitation across the country.
Sponsored by Senator Mohammed Onawo (SDP–Nasarawa), the bill seeks to create a dedicated enforcement body under the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
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The NMRS will be responsible for policing mining sites, enforcing environmental and safety standards, and providing emergency response and rescue services for miners.
Presenting the report, Senator Ekong Samson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development, said the measure would “close enforcement gaps that have allowed illegal mining to flourish at great cost to the environment and national revenue.”
Senate President Godswill Akpabio, while commending the initiative, described the bill as “a bold step toward repositioning the solid minerals sector as a driver of sustainable growth and rural livelihood security.”
Analysts say the creation of the Mines Rangers Service could strengthen regulation and improve investor confidence in Nigeria’s mining sector, which has suffered from weak oversight and environmental degradation linked to unregulated operations.
Environmental advocates have also hailed the move, noting that illegal mining has been a major cause of deforestation, water pollution, and land degradation in several states. They urge the government to ensure the new agency is well-funded and operates transparently.
The bill will now proceed to the House of Representatives for concurrence before being transmitted to the President for assent.
