Nigeria

Nigeria has a rich history of mining dating back to pre-colonial times when indigenous people mined tin and other minerals. However, it was only in the 1940s that commercial mining of tin started on a large scale, driven by demand from the UK for tin during World War II. Other minerals like columbite, coal, and gold were also mined in small quantities during this time.

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After independence in 1960, the government placed more emphasis on the mining sector with the establishment of the Nigerian Mining Corporation (NMC) in 1972. The NMC was tasked with exploring and mining strategic minerals across the country. However, mismanagement, corruption, and a lack of investment led to the decline of the mining sector over the years. Today, Nigeria is still rich in minerals such as tin, coal, gold, and limestone, but the sector remains largely undeveloped due to a lack of investment and infrastructure.