Residents of Shiroro in Niger State have relied on the Onato stream for drinking, cooking and household use for decades. The stream, once clear, now runs brown due to pollution from nearby gold mining activities. Four mining sites operate in Farin Doki and Ajata Aboki, two managed by local artisanal miners and two by unidentified companies. Some residents suspect one site is linked to Chinese operators, though this could not be verified.
Sadace Anguwa, a 46-year-old woman in Ajata Aboki, said the stream has been central to community life for 20 years. She now fears for her family's health after medical workers warned against using the water. Health personnel have reportedly advised residents to stop giving stream water to children who fall ill.
The Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) maintains an online register of mining licences, launched on 01 November 2022 as the eMC+ system with support from GAF AG, Germany. The Mines Environmental Compliance (MEC) is responsible for monitoring environmental standards. Both fall under the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and are meant to ensure accountability.
Despite the digital systems, affected communities cannot access or understand the data. Experts say the platforms lack openness, interoperability and inclusivity, failing key standards of Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). The MCO portal allows public tracking of licences, but is difficult to navigate, especially in rural areas. Environmental Impact Assessments should be disclosed to communities, but this is not happening.
A youth leader in Shiroro, speaking anonymously, said local authorities like the district head may know the identities of mining operators, suggesting possible benefits to officials. He did not explain how such benefits occur, and PREMIUM TIMES could not verify the claim.
The federal government promotes digital mining transparency while leaving Shiroro residents blind to who is poisoning their water. The eMC+ portal exists, but not for those who need it most—rendering it performative rather than functional. If the district head knows the operators, as locals allege, then the system serves elites, not the public. This is not transparency; it is exclusion by design.
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