Senate Passes Bill To Establish Nigeria Mines Rangers Service

The upper chamber of Nigeria’s National Assembly has approved the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service Establishment Bill 2025, which is a significant piece of legislation intended to tackle unauthorized mining operations and to improve the level of supervisory control within the nation’s sector dedicated to solid minerals extraction and management.

This approval came right after the submission of a detailed report prepared by Senator Ekong Samson, who serves as the Chairperson of the Senate Committee responsible for Solid Minerals Development. The envisioned Mines Rangers Service has been structured to operate in the capacity of a dedicated law enforcement body tasked with protecting various mining locations and making certain that adherence to the mining regulations in Nigeria is strictly maintained.

The presiding officer of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, praised the legislative proposal, portraying it as an essential action in the direction of enhancing administrative practices within the mining field. “This is a timely intervention that will strengthen our regulatory framework and ensure that Nigeria’s mineral resources are properly managed,” he said.

Additional members of the legislature, such as Senator Garba Maidoki representing the Kebbi South constituency, voiced robust endorsement for the suggested initiative, pointing out that the newly proposed service would establish an actual on-site presence at different mining areas all over the nation. “If established, the Rangers Service will be physically present at mining sites across the country. They will serve as the eyes on the ground to monitor the extraction of our national resources,” Maidoki said.

He went on to mention that given the fact that prominent investors in mining are currently active within Nigeria, “there is an urgent need to provide adequate protection for investments and ensure the country benefits fully from its mineral wealth.”

Following a thorough review during the session of the committee of the whole, the legislative bill underwent its third reading and was then officially approved by the entire Senate body.

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli