Overview

• Unregulated lithium mining in Nigeria has surged due to global demand for the mineral, critical for batteries used in electric vehicles and clean energy storage.
• Children as young as five work in unsafe conditions, sorting and extracting lithium-rich rocks for minimal pay, often at the expense of their education.
• Illegal mining operations thrive on weak enforcement of labor and mining laws, with corruption allowing businesses to bypass regulations.
• Chinese companies dominate the lithium market in Nigeria, often purchasing materials without verifying their origins or labor conditions, despite official denials of wrongdoing.
• Efforts to address child labor and illegal mining include proposed legal reforms, enforcement programs, and social initiatives, but their impact remains uncertain.