The Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies (MINILS), Ilorin, in partnership with the Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA), has organised a conference to address the challenges of illegal mining, corruption and climate change in Africa.
The conference, held on October 3, 2026, was themed “Safeguarding the Future: Addressing the Nexus of Illegal Mining, Corruption and Climate Resilience in Africa.”
In his welcome remarks, the Director-General/Chief Executive of MINILS, Comrade Issa Aremu, mni, said the idea behind the conference was borne out of the need to strengthen efforts against corruption and illegal mining through institutional collaboration and stakeholder engagement.
He emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation among relevant agencies and called for a lasting partnership between MINILS and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to promote capacity development and strengthen the fight against corruption.
In his address, the Executive Chairman of the EFCC, Mr Ola Olukoyede, described Comrade Aremu as an elder statesman whose contributions had helped shape the labour movement in Nigeria.
Olukoyede used the occasion to call for the intervention of MINILS DG in resolving the misunderstanding between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) over their recent negotiations with the Federal Government, stressing the importance of unity and constructive engagement within the labour movement.
He emphasised the importance of sustained cooperation among relevant agencies and called for a lasting partnership between MINILS and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to promote capacity development and strengthen the fight against corruption.
He also expressed the EFCC’s readiness to partner with MINILS, promising collaboration in the training and capacity development of the commission’s personnel.
Also speaking, the Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre, Olanrewaju Suraju, said illegal mining, corruption and climate degradation were interconnected challenges that required coordinated responses from government, labour organisations and civil society.
He maintained that organised labour must play a central role in Nigeria’s transition to clean energy to ensure that workers were not excluded from the economic opportunities associated with the transition.
Suraju explained that the three-day conference was designed to equip labour leaders with advocacy skills, skills-development opportunities and collective bargaining tools to address challenges arising from illegal mining and environmental degradation.
Earlier in an opening address, the Acting Head of the Labour Management Relations Department of MINILS, Dr Moshood Lawal, said the conference aligned with the Institute’s mandate of promoting workers’ education, research, capacity development and policy dialogue on emerging labour and socio-economic challenges.
He stressed MINILS’ commitment to preparing workers and labour institutions for the changing world of work, particularly in the areas of the green economy and just energy transition.
Dr Lawal called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, law-enforcement institutions, organised labour, employers, civil society organisations and host communities to tackle corruption, illegal exploitation of natural resources and environmental degradation.
He urged participants to move beyond identifying the challenges and develop practical recommendations that would strengthen accountability, protect workers’ rights and welfare, and safeguard the environment for future generations.
Highlight of the event was the conferment of Fellowship of Niational Labour Institute (FNLI) on the Executive Chairman of EFCC, Mr Olukoyede by MINILS Academic Board.
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