The mining sector has enormous potentials for the development of Nigeria. It can significantly improve Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product, exports, and foreign reserves. However, the sector contributes minimally to the country’s economic growth as the country reportedly loses $9 billion to illegal mining operations annually.

Utilizing secondary sources of data, the review showed that illegal mining operations in Nigeria result from poverty, unemployment, corruption, illiteracy, poor management of solid mineral resources, and poor collaboration among major stakeholders in the mining sector. The consequences include decline in agricultural productivity, government revenue, increased social unrests, and environmental degradation.

It concludes that key players such as the police and community leaders must come together to thoroughly address the issue of illegal mining to achieve socio-economic development in their communities and Nigeria at large.