Socio-Economic and Environmental Impact of Sand Mining on the Floodplains of River Benue, Makurdi Town, Benue State, Nigeria

This study assesses the socio-economic contributions and environmental impact of sand mining along the floodplains of River Benue in Makurdi, Nigeria. The study adopted a survey/questionnaire approach with a sample size of 380 respondents from ten (10) selected mining sites. Descriptive analytical techniques were used to analyze the data. The findings reveal that sand mining is a male-dominated activity, with 90.5% of respondents being men, while only 9.5% are women. The majority (37.1%) of miners fall within the 26–35-year age range, followed by 32.1% in the 36–45-year category. Income distribution analysis shows that 38% of miners earn ₦36,000 or more monthly, while 25.1% earn between ₦16,000–₦25,000. The study identifies manual in-stream mining as the predominant method (62.2%), followed by manual surface mining (26.3%) and mechanized dredging (11.5%). Sharp sand constitutes the majority (68%) of mined materials, primarily due to its demand in construction. Environmental issues such as flooding, erosion, and riverbed destabilization are significant concerns, particularly at North Bank under Bridge Right and Tse Kpam, where high levels of extraction have exacerbated land degradation. The study concludes that while sand mining plays a vital economic role, it has severe environmental consequences that necessitate urgent intervention. Therefore, it is recommended that the government enforce stricter regulations on sand mining operations to control excessive extraction, ensure compliance with environmental standards, and prevent further ecological degradation. This policy intervention will help balance economic benefits with environmental sustainability in the study area.