Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has called on international mining companies and South African investors to capitalize on Nigeria’s improving business environment and ongoing reforms in the mining sector. Speaking through the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mary Ogbe, at the inaugural International Investment Forum and Roadshow for Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, Alake highlighted Nigeria’s commitment to becoming a mining powerhouse.
The forum, held in South Africa, marks a key moment in Nigeria’s drive to attract global investment to its mining industry. In a statement from Abuja by his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, Alake underscored that the aggressive promotion of the solid minerals sector aligns with his Seven-Point Agenda, which has successfully drawn international attention and resulted in increased investment and rising revenue for Nigeria.
“Our vision is to establish a sector where global mining giants, such as Glencore, Rio Tinto, Intro-Africa Mining and Exploration, and Rainbow Mines, see Nigeria’s immense potential and partner with us to harness these resources for the benefit of our people and economic growth,” Alake said. He emphasized the importance of recent policy shifts under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration, which aim to make Nigeria’s mining industry more accessible and attractive to investors.
A significant part of the reforms includes the introduction of the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (EMC+), a fully digitalized application platform that streamlines the licensing process. Additionally, the newly launched Nigeria Minerals Decision Support System (NMDSS) provides essential data on Nigeria’s mineral landscape, equipping investors with hydrological, geological, and geographical insights for informed decision-making.
Nigeria’s Acting High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Tope Ajayi, stated that the conference serves to showcase Nigeria’s abundant solid mineral resources, seeking to secure strategic partnerships and capital investment from South African investors.
The forum also included a panel session with Dr. Felix Omatsola Ogbe, the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), who presented investment incentives and fielded questions from diverse investors. These incentives, coupled with Nigeria’s streamlined regulatory processes, are expected to foster rapid development in the mining sector.
The Nigerian government’s renewed focus on solid minerals is seen as a critical strategy to diversify the economy, reduce dependence on oil revenue, and create jobs. With rising interest from global players, Nigeria’s solid minerals sector could see transformative growth in the coming years.
