The Implications of Insurgencies and Illegal Gold Mining for Sustainable Development in Nigeria

This study explored the links between insurgencies, illegal mining, and sustainable development in Nigeria. Given the country's vast gold deposits and other natural resources such that all states and local governments have at least one resource endowment, its development path should be clear. Rather, Nigeria's developmental trajectory has been tortuous and tenuous. Hence, it can be safely concluded that insurgencies and illegal mining stiffen the sustainable development of the country. This paper is based on the triangulation of desktop research and the frustration-aggression model as the theoretical framework. It found that there is a collaboration between politically connected individuals, insurgents, and foreign interests in the illegal mining of gold that drives not only banditry but also violent local conflicts in the North West region of the country. It further argueed that the impact of this situation includes wanton environmental, economic, and social crises that threaten internal security and limit the sustainable development of the region and Nigeria in general. The paper concluded that the unsafe, illegal mining-ridden milieu arising from weak and contested natural resources governance will only stifle the country's attempt to join the league of developed nations. It recommended that Nigeria adopt a holistic approach that encompasses policy reforms, institutional strengthening, and community engagement to address insurgencies and illegal mining for citizens to enjoy the blessing of natural resource endowments in the country.