The Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society (NMGS) has urged the federal government to expand its revenue base by stopping illegal mining across the country.
National President of NMGS, Mrs. Rose Ndong, said Nigeria is losing an unquantifiable amount of revenue due to the activities of illegal miners.
Ndong, during a press briefing to herald the 61st Annual International Conference and Exhibition (AICE) of NMGS in Uyo, added that the revenue from crude oil was nowhere close to solid minerals.
The NMGS AICE conference is scheduled to be held in Uyo from March 22 to 27, 2026, as part of the Society’s 261st National Council Meeting.
She challenged the FG to move beyond rhetoric and make deliberate financial commitments to non-oil sectors if Nigeria must truly diversify its revenue base away from crude oil.
Ndong said that seven years of conversations on diversification had yielded limited impact because government actions were yet to fully match policy statements.
She stressed that meaningful diversification would only happen when substantial investments are channelled into solid minerals, water resources, construction, and industrial sectors.
According to Ndong, “You cannot say you want to diversify from oil while still pumping most resources into the oil sector and expecting other sectors to magically deliver results. Government must be intentional and put money where its mouth is.”
She acknowledged ongoing efforts by the government to restructure budgets and introduce reforms, but noted that the impact remained largely unfelt by citizens due to weak implementation and lack of sustained funding in critical growth sectors.
The briefing also served to formally announce the 61st Annual International Conference and Exhibition (AICE) of NMGS, scheduled to hold in Uyo from March 22 to 27, 2026, as part of the Society’s 261st National Council Meeting.
Tagged “Uyo 2026,” the conference will focus on Optimizing Efficiency, Sustainability, and Resilience in Resources Management and Infrastructure Development, a theme Ndong said aligns with Nigeria’s urgent need for climate-resilient infrastructure and responsible resource management.
She described AICE as one of Africa’s largest geoscience gatherings, bringing together government, industry, academia, and investors to exchange knowledge, showcase emerging technologies, and support evidence-based policymaking.
Ndong highlighted Akwa Ibom State’s vast geo-economic potential, citing its coastline, wetlands, industrial minerals, groundwater resources, and growing geo-tourism assets such as the ARISE Palm Resort, which blends natural landscapes with tourism infrastructure.
She commended Governor Umo Eno’s ARISE Agenda, noting that hosting AICE 2026 positions Akwa Ibom as a geo-economic hub in the Niger Delta and reinforces the role of geosciences in revenue generation, job creation, and sustainable development.
The NMGS President reaffirmed the Society’s commitment to advocating mandatory geo-scientific investigations as the foundation for durable infrastructure and national development, expressing confidence that the Uyo 2026 conference would translate scientific knowledge into tangible economic outcomes for Nigeria.
