Public Law and Mining: An Assessment of the Solid Minerals Development Fund and Legal Framework for Artisanal Mining in Zamfara State

Artisanal and small-scale mining in Zamfara State, North West Nigeria, has attracted international attention following lead poisoning crises linked to unregulated gold ore processing, and has produced ongoing environmental and public health emergencies requiring legal regulatory responses. The Mining Act 2007 and the Solid Minerals Development Fund (Establishment, etc.) Act provide the primary legal framework for mining governance in Nigeria, yet their implementation in artisanal mining contexts in Zamfara raises important public law questions. This study assesses the legal framework applicable to artisanal mining in Zamfara State, examining the Mining Act 2007 provisions on artisanal licensing, the Solid Minerals Development Fund allocation, and the regulatory enforcement activities of the Mining Cadastre Office and the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development. A doctrinal methodology is applied, reviewing the Mining Act, the Artisanal and Small-Scale Mining Framework of 2015, relevant environmental law provisions, and government reports on Zamfara mining governance from 2018 to 2023. The study evaluates the adequacy of the artisanal licensing regime and the legal mechanisms for community protection from mining hazards. Available mining law literature from North West Nigeria identifies absence of effective artisanal licensing, inadequate environmental health enforcement, and underfunding of the Solid Minerals Development Fund as the principal regulatory gaps. The Sustainable Development Law Framework provides the normative reference. Recommendations address artisanal mining legalisation pathways and health-protective regulatory standards. Keywords: mining law, artisanal mining, Zamfara State, Solid Minerals Fund, North West Nigeria.