The Senate has called for tighter safety oversight and mandatory insurance schemes in Nigeria’s mining sector following a coal mine landslide in Kogi State that left 20 workers dead.
The resolution followed a motion presented on Wednesday by Kogi East Senator Isah Jibrin, who detailed a catastrophic ground failure on July 14, 2026, in the Alufele area of Ankpa LGA.
He noted that heavy machinery loading operations triggered the collapse, trapping artisanal miners underground and sinking multiple trucks.
Senator Jibrin warned that unsafe practices-specifically using the room-and-pillar method without structural reinforcement-combined with the area’s fragile geology, make future collapses inevitable without immediate action.
He also highlighted that most miners work without contracts, health coverage, or life insurance.
Seconding the motion, Senate Chief Whip, Tahir Monguno, noted that mine collapses have become a national crisis.
He urged lawmakers to draft enforceable legislation rather than relying on non-binding motions.
Following the debate, the Senate urged the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to conduct a nationwide audit of licensed miners.
It also called for the establishment of a statutory workers’ compensation scheme funded by operators, along with compulsory occupational insurance through the National Insurance Commission.
The Senate also mandated its Committee on Solid Minerals Development to draft bills enforcing these protections as well as calling for the establishment of a dedicated fund for emergency medical care, rehabilitation, and educational support for families of deceased miners.