The Senate has called for a nationwide audit of licensed mining operators and their areas of operation as part of efforts to strengthen oversight and prevent further deaths and injuries in Nigeria’s mining sector.

The resolution was adopted on Wednesday, July 22, 2026, after lawmakers raised concerns over the increasing number of mine collapses, landslides and other accidents that have claimed lives and left several miners with permanent disabilities.

The upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to establish a statutory compensation scheme for mining workers, funded through mandatory contributions from licensed mining operators.

The proposed scheme is expected to provide compensation for occupational injuries, permanent disabilities, occupational diseases and deaths resulting from mining operations.

Leading the debate, Senator Isah Jibrin said victims of mining accidents, particularly the families of deceased workers and those left with life-changing disabilities, were often abandoned without adequate social protection despite the huge economic value generated from the country’s mineral resources.

The Senate warned that the continued occurrence of mine collapses, unsafe mining practices and unstable geological conditions, especially in the Ankpa Coal Block, could lead to further fatalities, environmental damage and the destruction of valuable mining assets if urgent action was not taken.

As part of measures to address the situation, the lawmakers asked the National Insurance Commission, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, to develop a compulsory occupational accident insurance scheme for all categories of miners.

The scheme is expected to cover artisanal and small-scale miners operating under recognised mining cooperatives and community mining arrangements.

The Senate also called on the Federal Government to establish a mine rehabilitation and victims support fund to provide emergency medical care, rehabilitation services and compensation for injured miners.

The proposed fund would also support the education of children of deceased miners and provide livelihood assistance to families affected by mining accidents.

The lawmakers mandated the Senate Committees on Solid Minerals Development; Environment; Labour, Employment and Productivity; and Health to jointly engage relevant ministries, departments and agencies to ensure the implementation of the resolutions.

The committees were directed to report back to the Senate within six weeks.