Nigeria’s mining sector has long faced challenges around transparency and access to information, particularly regarding mining data. On August 1, 2023, Anthony Adejuwon, a seasoned founder with a background in urban planning, pivoted his career to directly address this issue.
He launched Urban Alert, a civic technology organisation, and later developed Minetrix AI, a conversational artificial intelligence tool designed to demystify complex mineral and mining data, making it more accessible to communities and other stakeholders across Nigeria.
Improving Nigeria’s mining data access
This initiative comes as Nigeria seeks to improve transparency and access to information in its mining sector. Limited access to transparent information can make governance, environmental protection, and community engagement more difficult in an industry vital to national development. Adejuwon’s transition from commercial consultancy to civic technology reflects his view that technology can be used to address public-interest issues, particularly in sectors where information asymmetry breeds inequality and environmental degradation.
Nigeria has a diverse range of mineral resources that could contribute to economic growth. However, accessing information about the sector can be difficult. Communities often remain unaware of who operates nearby mining sites, whether those operators are licensed, or what environmental safeguards are in place. Limited access to this information can make it more difficult for local communities to assess nearby mining activities and their potential impacts.
Existing official systems are intended to improve transparency, but access and usability remain challenges. The electronic Mining Cadastre system (eMC+), launched on 1 November 2022, for example, provides access to information on mining licences.
However, its usefulness also depends on whether citizens, journalists, investors and host communities can access and use the data. Similarly, the article states that the Mines Environmental Compliance (MEC) department does not have a publicly accessible platform for sharing inspection records, violations, or enforcement actions.
From urban planning to civic tech innovation
Adejuwon’s transition into civic technology followed a non-linear career path. His early interactions with technology in the 2000s, primarily through cybercafés and email, developed his interest in using technology to solve problems.
While studying urban and regional planning at Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Adejuwon encountered geospatial analysis, a discipline that uses digital tools and spatial data to analyse locations and investigate problems. This experience showed him how technology could be used to assess social and environmental issues.
Around 2012, as he completed his degree, Adejuwon established a consultancy firm focused on city planning and construction. For several years, his firm developed solutions for the built environment, integrating technology for various design and operational needs. By 2019, however, his interests began to shift.
He became increasingly interested in how policies and human interactions influenced environmental and social outcomes and how technology could intervene. This led him to pursue a postgraduate diploma in technology management, laying the groundwork for his pivot into civic technology.
His decision in 2020 to found Urban Alert meant stepping away from his profitable consultancy business, which eventually closed. Adejuwon described the move as a shift in his professional focus. He recognised that the for-profit model constrained his ability to drive the kind of social change he envisioned.
Civic technology organisations often focus on using digital tools to address public-interest issues, requiring a deep understanding of a problem before developing any technological answer. African mining technology often grapples with similar data challenges.
Minetrix AI: A conversational solution for mining transparency
At Urban Alert, Adejuwon and his team identified limited access to information as a challenge within the minerals and mining sector. This lack of clear, accessible data affected everyone from local communities and journalists to researchers and potential investors. After years of work examining the sector across Africa, they began developing Minetrix AI.
Minetrix AI is a bespoke civic technology solution built as a conversational AI tool, specifically tailored for the minerals and mining industry. Its core mission is to simplify access to information by presenting complex data in a more accessible format. The platform’s design revolves around four key pillars: data simplicity, data readability, data understanding, and data usability.
For information to be useful, users must be able to understand it in their own context and apply it to solve real-world social and environmental issues.
The development of Minetrix AI took nine months, but its foundation was years in the making. This included building relationships with government agencies, civil society organisations, community leaders, and mining companies to secure access to essential information.
The tool uses a retrieval-first design, meaning it draws information from a curated database of trusted documents, starting with Nigeria. When a user queries Minetrix AI, it not only provides an answer but also cites the sources, ensuring trust and verifiability. This approach places emphasis on data traceability and verification.
Since its launch, Minetrix AI has attracted over 1,200 unique users, with a substantial return rate of 25% to 35%. This user engagement highlights the significant demand for transparent information in the sector.
With Africa holding a substantial share of global mineral resources and Nigeria specifically attracting attention for minerals like gold and lithium, the public’s need to understand local mining activities and uphold their rights is acutely felt.
Beyond the platform: The broader vision for civic tech
Adejuwon’s work extends beyond Minetrix AI. Urban Alert is currently testing another initiative called “Who Is Mining,” designed to provide even more granular information about local mining activities. This project addresses the reality that many communities are unaware of mineral deposits beneath their land or ongoing mining operations in their vicinity.
Early feedback has been positive, particularly given the increased interest in lithium mining across Nigeria.
Adejuwon has also advocated for greater attention to data privacy in the civic tech space. He argues that relying solely on large corporations for local solutions could create risks for user privacy and data management. Instead, he champions the development of homegrown solutions built on local terms of reference, with privacy considerations incorporated into the design.
He has also called for stronger implementation and enforcement of existing data protection laws, such as Nigeria’s Data Protection Regulation (NDPR), to truly safeguard users.
Looking ahead, Adejuwon envisages a future where technology is inherently inclusive. He stresses the importance of designing digital products and AI infrastructure with people with disabilities in mind, a demographic often overlooked but crucial for the scalability and societal impact of solutions. This commitment to inclusivity, combined with a flexible mindset to adapt to rapid technological evolution, defines his approach to civic technology.
Driving accountable resource management in Africa
Urban Alert has received recognition for its work. In 2024, the Osun State Government honoured the organisation for its use of technology in social justice, environmental protection, and transparent governance.
Adejuwon also received an award from BudgIT earlier this year in recognition of his work on climate change, acknowledging his efforts to leverage technology for environmental advocacy and to drive conversations around mining and climate. Data upgrades in industrial processes can also face similar challenges with implementation.
The efforts to enhance Nigeria’s mining data access through tools like Minetrix AI have significant implications for broader industrial development across Africa. Access to transparent data on mineral resources, licensing, and environmental compliance can support investment decisions, environmental oversight, and community engagement, fostering sustainable mining practices and ensuring that resource extraction genuinely benefits local populations and national economies.
As Africa remains an important source of raw materials for global industries, platforms that improve access to mining data could support greater transparency and accountability in resource management.
