Insight · Mining
From artisanal to formal: a practical path for Nigerian gold
Documented grades, fair pricing and market access: the three levers that move artisanal miners into the formal economy without putting anyone out of work.
Every conversation about illegal mining ends the same way: enforcement. This publication argues enforcement is the last step, not the first.
The three levers that work, in order: documented grades through accessible assay testing, fair pricing that makes formal channels the profitable channels, and market access so a formalised miner actually has a buyer.
Our pilot work with an accredited laboratory shows the demand is there: miners want paperwork when paperwork comes with better prices.