CONFLICT ECONOMIES, FORCED MIGRATION, AND LIVELIHOOD ADAPTATION IN ZAMFARA STATE, NIGERIA: EXAMINING THE IMPACT OF GOLD MINING AND BANDITRY

Abstract

Conflict economies emerge in regions where political instability, armed conflicts, and weak governance create opportunities for informal and illegal economic activities. This study examines the interrelationship between conflict economies, forced migration, and their impacts on livelihood strategies in Zamfara State, Nigeria, with a focus on gold mining and banditry/kidnapping. A multi-stage sampling procedure was employed for selecting elements of the research in order to have good representation of the study population. At the first stage, the purposive sampling technique was used to select the Six (6) local government areas with gold mining activities which include: Anka, Maru, Bukkuyum, Gusau and Zurmi local government areas. In the second stage, all the internally displaced persons (IDPs) camps in the 6 selected local government where 142 respondents were selected. Information gathered through fieldwork or archival records were analysed using descriptive statistical methods such as percentages, frequencies distribution tables. The result reveals that corruption (71.8%) is the major economic cause for a significant proportion of conflict drivers. State actors play a significant role, with military forces being the most prominent (54.9%). While, among non-state actors, criminal organizations dominate the landscape, representing 43.7% of responses. The livelihood strategies adopted by individuals in Zamfara State indicate significant reliance on agriculture as the dominant source of income, with 49.3% of respondents identifying it as their primary occupation. None of the respondents rated their livelihood systems as extremely adaptable, and only 2.8% described them as adaptable. The most prioritized policy measure is financial support programmes (39.4%), emphasizing the need for direct economic interventions to rebuild livelihoods. They emphasize economic recovery, governance reform, and social support as foundational strategies. The study concludes that conflict economies and forced migration significantly disrupt livelihood strategies in Zamfara State, Nigeria, with gold mining and banditry at the centre of these challenges. The study recommends coordinated efforts to curb illegal economic activities, promote peacebuilding, and restore sustainable livelihoods, ensuring long-term stability and resilience in the region.

Keywords: Conflict economies, forced displacement, livelihood strategies, gold mining, banditry.

DOI: 10.7176/JAAS/85-03

Publication date: January 31^st 2026