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How Illegal Gold Mining Fuels Violence in Nigeria

In Nigeria’s north-west, gold is more than a mineral resource. In many communities, it has quietly become a source of power, profit — and prolonged insecurity.

This episode takes a closer look at the link between illegal gold mining and the rise of banditry in the region. While military operations have intensified in recent years, violence continues. To understand why, we have to follow the money — and in this case, the gold.

Across remote mining sites, informal and often unregulated gold extraction thrives. What begins in small, hidden pits does not stay there. The gold moves through informal trading networks, crosses borders, and eventually enters international markets. Along the way, armed groups benefit.

In several gold-rich areas, there is a clear overlap with banditry hotspots. Control of mining sites provides leverage. It offers income. And income sustains operations — recruitment, logistics, and weapons. When gold becomes currency, insecurity becomes profitable.

The video breaks down how armed groups convert gold into guns and influence. It also explores why military crackdowns alone have struggled to resolve the crisis. Force may disrupt activity temporarily, but as long as illegal mining remains lucrative and poorly regulated, the financial engine behind the violence continues to run.

Featuring expert insight into the gold–violence nexus in Nigeria’s north-west, this explainer connects economic activity to security realities on the ground.

If you want to understand why insecurity persists despite ongoing operations, this conversation highlights what is often missing from public debate.

Watch the full episode above and reflect on this question:

Can Nigeria truly end banditry without addressing illegal mining at its roots?

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