Investigative journalist Abdullah Tijani investigates a hidden economy linking illicit gold mining, armed groups, and human exploitation across the Sahel. Focusing on Nigeria and the Niger Republic, The Gold Slaves of the Sahel project documents how vulnerable men are forced into dangerous mining work under coercive conditions, paid little or nothing, and trapped in cycles of violence and poverty.
This investigation follows the journey of gold extracted from these sites, tracing how it moves through informal trade networks across porous borders, and into regional and international markets. It connects local testimonies with trade data and expert analysis to reveal how gold mined through abuse becomes a source of financing for terrorist and criminal groups operating in the Sahel.
The Gold Slave of the Sahel makes visible a supply chain that is rarely scrutinized, linking human suffering on the ground to global demand for gold.
