Bayelsa hosts 40 mineral titles as Gov Diri demands stricter mining regulations

Bayelsa State currently hosts 40 valid mineral titles, including 12 licences for the mining of ilmenite and titanium across parts of the state, a PREMIUM TIMES review of official mining records has shown.

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The finding comes as Governor Douye Diri called for stricter regulation of black sand mining activities, warning that unchecked extraction of the mineral-rich resource could worsen environmental degradation and trigger severe erosion in the coastal state.

PREMIUM TIMES reviewed the Valid Mineral Titles Register published by the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office as of February 2026 and found 40 active mineral titles in Bayelsa. Among them are 12 mining licences covering the extraction of ilmenite and titanium in Brass, Ekeremor and Southern Ijaw local government areas of Bayelsa.

Mr Diri spoke last Wednesday during the 189th meeting of the Bayelsa State Executive Council at Government House, Yenagoa, according to a statement published on the Bayelsa State Government’s Facebook page.

Black sand contains economically valuable heavy minerals such as ilmenite, rutile, zircon and magnetite, which are used in the production of titanium, steel, ceramics and other industrial materials.

The governor said the state government was not opposed to mining activities but insisted that operators must comply with environmental and regulatory requirements.

“We are all suffering from the issues and challenges of oil and gas such as environmental pollution and degradation, and we don’t want a repeat of the oil and gas experience in the mining of black sand,” Mr Diri said.

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“Instead of threatening protests, go to the relevant ministries and ask questions on how this mining is being done. We want everything to be done legally. The mining of black sand if not regulated, can lead to the challenge of erosion.”

Environmental concerns

The governor’s remarks highlight growing concerns over the environmental implications of mineral extraction in the Niger Delta, where decades of oil exploration have left communities grappling with pollution, coastal erosion and ecological degradation.

While mining regulation falls under the authority of the federal government, Mr Diri said state governments have a responsibility to protect their environment and land resources.

“Yes, mining is generally under the exclusive list. But the surface rights still belong to the government of the state,” he said.

“What we are doing is not to stop our youths from working. What we are doing is to make sure our environment is not polluted or despoiled again.”

He warned that the commercial value of black sand could encourage exploitative practices if regulatory oversight remains weak.

“Mining of the black sand can lead to another challenge; the challenge of erosion. You don’t know how much these people make from the black sand,” he said.

PREMIUM TIMES had reported how sand mining is degrading the environment in another Niger Delta State, Akwa Ibom and how it is also destroying farmlands in Kano.

READ ALSO: Bayelsa women, soldiers in violent clash over arrest of youths

Allegations of illegal operations

Mr Diri also alleged that some operators have illegally extracted and transported black sand without proper authorisation.

“Initially they were not even talking to us. They were collecting these black sand from the high sea and they travel from there. Nobody knew; illegitimate and illegal business. No certification from the federal government, no authorisation from the state government,” he said.

The governor specifically accused Chinese companies of engaging in such activities, although he did not identify any firm.

He asked Bayelsa youths to support efforts aimed at ensuring lawful and transparent exploitation of the resource.

“You cannot go to China and do that or any other country and do that. Nigerian youths, we are not stopping you from black sand mining. We are foreseeing what you are not seeing tomorrow.

“We want everything to be done legally so that the resources rather than being a curse will be a blessing to you and our dear state.”