Access to Emerging Technologies and Techniques in the Nigerian Solid Minerals Sector: A Cost-Benefit Analysis

As the global population increases, the scale and impacts of mining have increased exponentially, and there are emerging trends when considering the sector’s future. Therefore, countries are transcending to modern forms of technology to achieve scale economies, decarbonisation, mine health and safety and environmental sustainability through leveraging on Automation, Big Data Analytics, Digital Innovations, and Artificial Intelligence.  These innovations have human, social and economic impacts, which can negatively and positively affect the principle of shared value. These complex interdependencies are reshaping the industry on a global scale, and for Nigeria to leverage her mining sector and expand to regional and global value chains, there is a need to scale up access to modern forms of technologies and techniques through linkage optimization, research and development, national and sectoral policies, government intervention, sustainable practices which will ultimately lead to resource-based industrialization. While abundant literature exists on the emergence of technologies in the solid minerals sector, this study, using a desktop and library-based analytical review, finds a dearth of research on the cost-benefit analysis of emerging technologies in the Nigerian mining landscape. This will ensure that technological disruptions are a win-win for communities and stakeholders to drive growth and global competitiveness for the sector. Therefore, Nigeria’s mining laws and policies must be reformed to adapt to these trends and interdependencies