About Project SMARTS
The Solid Minerals Advanced Regulation & Tracking System (SMARTS) is a flagship digital transformation initiative for Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, engineered to deliver transparent governance, safer operations, and sustainable revenue growth.
Mandate & Origins
Project SMARTS is conceived by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development to unify the disparate systems, paper trails, and manual interventions that currently limit effective regulation. By combining digital registration, satellite-enabled monitoring, and AI-led analytics, SMARTS establishes a real-time command centre for Nigeria’s mineral wealth.
Built in partnership with leading technology providers and sector experts, SMARTS connects ministries, state governments, operators, financiers, and communities through a common data fabric. It is the backbone for enforcing compliance, expanding revenue, and attracting investment into responsible mining.
SMARTS in Numbers (Target Year 1)
- • 1,200+ licensed sites instrumented with telemetry and digital reporting
- • ₦420bn+ in revenue leakages targeted for capture and optimisation
- • 2,500 inspectors, analysts, and state officials equipped with connected toolkits
- • 24/7 national command centre for compliance, safety, and ESG oversight
Our Mission
Deliver a unified, trusted, and intelligent platform that empowers Nigeria to regulate, monitor, and monetise its solid minerals sector sustainably.
- Provide complete visibility of mining activities across all states and commodities.
- Digitise licensing, reporting, and enforcement with secure, tamper-proof workflows.
- Power data-driven policy, investment, and community impact decisions in real time.
What Makes SMARTS Distinct
The SMARTS architecture blends regulatory depth with technology rigor to create a platform that is actionable for policymakers and operators alike.
Governance & Assurance
Policy-aligned workflows, role-based access, and audit trails ensure every action is accountable and compliant with Nigerian regulations.
Connected Field Operations
Hybrid connectivity blends satellite, terrestrial, and offline-first capture so inspectors and sensors stay productive in any terrain.
Sustainability Intelligence
Environmental and community modules monitor rehabilitation, biodiversity protection, and socio-economic commitments in real time.
How SMARTS Comes to Life
Implementation is anchored on collaboration, capacity building, and continuous improvement to ensure technology adoption translates to measurable governance outcomes.
Joint Governance
Steering committees unite federal, state, and private-sector representatives to align SMARTS delivery with policy and investment goals.
Field-Proven Toolkits
Inspector tablets, IoT sensors, drone integrations, and secure data pipes are pre-configured to accelerate field deployment.
Insights to Action
Dashboards, scorecards, and automated alerts translate complex data into rapid decisions for revenue, compliance, and ESG outcomes.
Milestones to National Impact
A disciplined roadmap ensures Project SMARTS delivers quick wins while laying the foundation for sustainable nationwide adoption.
Concept & Policy Alignment
Project SMARTS concept note endorsed by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development; governance structures and stakeholder forums established.
Pilot Architecture & Deployment
Pilot states onboarded with IoT kits, satellite backhaul, and digital registry migration covering 100+ priority mining sites.
Digital Licensing Rollout
End-to-end licensing workflow launched with identity verification, cadastral integration, and automated compliance tracking.
Nationwide Scale & Continuous Intelligence
Full national coverage with advanced analytics, investor dashboards, sustainability modules, and inter-agency data exchanges.
The People Powering SMARTS
Multidisciplinary teams blend policy, technology, geology, and finance expertise to ensure SMARTS delivers lasting institutional capacity.
SMARTS Programme Office
National Coordination & Delivery
Leads the end-to-end delivery of SMARTS in partnership with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, ensuring alignment with policy directives and national development priorities.
Digital Cadastre & Licensing Unit
Secure Registrations & Permitting
Engineers the secure digital licensing workflow, cadastral integration, and data governance standards that underpin the SMARTS registry.
Field Intelligence & IoT Cell
Telemetry & Change Detection
Deploys IoT sensors, drone surveys, and satellite connectivity to deliver real-time visibility across active and legacy mining operations.
Revenue Assurance & Analytics Lab
Fiscal Intelligence & Insights
Operates the analytics fabric that reconciles production, exports, and payments while uncovering leakages and investment opportunities.
Voices Championing SMARTS
“SMARTS provides the state with instant production dashboards and compliance alerts we never had before. It changes how we govern mining.”
Permanent Secretary, State Ministry of Solid Minerals
“Digital licensing and automated reporting took weeks out of our approval cycles. We finally have a single truth between our sites and Abuja.”
Head of Regulatory Affairs, Mining Operator Consortium
“The AI intelligence engine gives us clarity on revenue leakages and ESG risks. It is an essential decision-support tool for national planning.”
Director, National Planning Commission
Collaborate With Project SMARTS
We invite the Ministry, state governments, development partners, and private-sector operators to co-create the next generation of solid minerals governance. Let’s build a resilient, transparent, and profitable sector together.