Bayelsa State has 40 mineral titles, Governor Diri calls for better mining rules

Bayelsa State has 40 valid mineral titles. This includes 12 licenses for mining ilmenite and titanium in different parts of the state. This information comes from a review of mining records by PREMIUM TIMES.

Governor Douye Diri has called for stronger rules on black sand mining. He warned that if mining goes unchecked, it could worsen environmental damage and cause serious erosion in the coastal state.

PREMIUM TIMES looked at the Valid Mineral Titles published by the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office as of February 2026. They found 40 active mineral titles in Bayelsa. Among these, 12 are for mining ilmenite and titanium in Brass, Ekeremor, and Southern Ijaw local government areas.

Mr. Diri spoke last Wednesday during the 189th meeting of the Bayelsa State Executive Council at Government House in Yenagoa. This was shared in a statement on the Bayelsa State Government’s Facebook page.

Black sand has valuable heavy minerals like ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and magnetite. These minerals are used to make titanium, steel, ceramics, and other industrial materials.

The governor said the state government does not oppose mining. But he stressed that miners must follow environmental rules. He said, “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.”

He added, “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.”

The governor's comments show rising worries about the environmental impact of mineral extraction in the Niger Delta. Decades of oil exploration have left communities fighting pollution, erosion, and ecological damage.

While mining is mainly the federal government’s job, Mr. Diri said state governments must protect their environment and land. He said, “Yes, mining is generally under the exclusive list. But the surface rights still belong to the government of the state.”

He also 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.”

Mr. Diri warned that the value of black sand could lead to exploitation if regulations are weak. He said, “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.”

PREMIUM TIMES has reported on how sand mining harms the environment in Akwa Ibom, another Niger Delta state. This practice is also destroying farmlands in Kano.

Mr. Diri accused some operators of illegally taking and moving black sand without permission. He said, “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.”

The governor claimed that some Chinese companies are involved in these activities, but he did not name any specific company. He urged Bayelsa youths to support efforts for lawful and clear mining practices.

He said, “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.”

Mr. Diri finished with, “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.”