The Senate has passed the Nigeria Mines Rangers Service Establishment Bill 2025, a legislative measure aimed at curbing illegal mining activities and enhancing regulatory oversight in the country’s solid minerals sector.

The passage followed the presentation of a report by Senator Ekong Samson, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals Development. The proposed Mines Rangers Service is designed to function as a specialised enforcement agency responsible for securing mining sites and ensuring compliance with Nigeria’s mining laws

Senate President Godswill Akpabio commended the bill, describing it as a necessary step toward improving governance in the mining industry. “This is a timely intervention that will strengthen our regulatory framework and ensure that Nigeria’s mineral resources are properly managed,” he said.

Other lawmakers, including Senator Garba Maidoki (Kebbi South), expressed strong support for the proposal, noting that the new service would provide a physical presence at mining locations nationwide. “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 added that with major mining investors now operating in Nigeria, “there is an urgent need to provide adequate protection for investments and ensure the country benefits fully from its mineral wealth.”

After consideration in the committee of the whole, the bill was read for the third time and subsequently passed by the Senate