Colonel Ousmane Abarchi, Minister of Mines of Niger, announced plans to establish a national economic development fund during the Mining in Motion 2025 summit – held in Accra. The fund aims to redirect revenues from the mining sector to strengthen other industries while tackling illicit mining.

“We seek to develop an economic development fund so that revenues from mining bolster other industries. We are also seeking community development, as illicit mining damages the environment. By addressing illegal mining, we are ensuring the purification of water bodies,” Minister Arbachi stated.

Minister Arbachi emphasized that addressing the widespread challenges of illegal mining across the continent must begin with the inclusion of local communities in decision-making and direct benefits.

The proposed fund would aim to reinvest mining profits into local companies – supporting sectors such as agriculture, infrastructure and education – to create alternatives to illegal mining and enhance long-term development.

The initiative aligns with the broader themes of the Mining in Motion summit, which focuses on sustainable resource governance, responsible mining practices and cross-border collaboration.