In Nasarawa, Nigeria, children like six-year-old Juliet Samaniya work illegally in perilous lithium mines, sacrificing their education to support families struggling amid poverty. The International Labour Organization highlights the alarming prevalence of child labour in such mining operations, exacerbated by weak regulations and corruption. As demand for lithium grows, urgent reforms are necessary to protect children’s rights and ensure responsible mining practices.
In Nasarawa, Nigeria, the underground lithium mining boom is casting a shadow over child welfare. Juliet Samaniya, just six years old, toils in the sun for mere cents, forgoing education to support her impoverished family in an unlicensed mining site. The International Labour Organization estimates over a million youths work in mines globally, with Africa experiencing particularly high levels of child labour due to poverty and inadequate education. Children in these mines face hazardous conditions, exposing them to respiratory risks and physical threats, often working alongside adult miners in small-scale operations that feed the growing lithium market.
Such mining operations are unlicensed and often involve questionable practices, typical of Nigeria’s struggling regulatory framework. Corruption prevents effective enforcement of laws against child labour, despite the government’s intent to reform. The demand for lithium, fuelled by the global shift to clean energy, has drawn illegal mining activities that exploit vulnerable populations, particularly children, enriching unscrupulous buyers, some linked to larger Chinese companies, who do not question the origins of the minerals.
As miners like Abdul Ibrahim profit from these illicit operations, many children work under grueling conditions to survive, with little hope for education or a future outside the mines. Local officials acknowledge a decline in school attendance, attributing it to mining activities, which reveal a harsh reality for numerous families. Activists stress the need for stronger protective measures for children and responsible practices among corporations involved in the lithium supply chain.
The plight of children in Nasarawa’s mines illustrates the urgent necessity for systemic change, urging government intervention and greater corporate accountability to safeguard their future.
Lithium is crucial for batteries in clean energy technologies, and Nigeria is capitalising on this global demand. However, the surge in mining activities has led to numerous illegal operations where child labour is rampant. Many families resort to such work due to poverty, forcing children like Juliet to abandon their education. The mining practices are risky, and regulations are poorly enforced, leading to an exploitative cycle affecting the most vulnerable members of society. The situation is compounded by corruption and a lack of governmental oversight, which allows these practices to flourish unchecked.
The illegal lithium mining in Nigeria exposes a critical human rights issue, where children are forced to work under perilous conditions instead of receiving an education. Despite laws against child labour, enforcement remains weak, with rampant corruption hindering reform efforts. As the global demand for lithium rises, it is essential for Nigerian authorities and international corporations to take responsibility for ethical mining practices and protect the rights of children. Without decisive action, the cycle of exploitation is unlikely to end, depriving future generations of hope and opportunities for a better life.
Original Source: www.newsday.com