Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has reiterated the federal government’s unwavering commitment to ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector. Speaking ahead of the 10th Nigeria Mining Week, he emphasized that no threats, blackmail, or intimidation will derail the transformative agenda that is already yielding measurable results.
The Minister cited data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showing mining’s contribution to Nigeria’s GDP rising from less than 0.5% ten years ago to 1.8% today, with an unprecedented 4.61% recorded in Q2 2025. This growth signals increased mining operations, investments, and positive community impacts.
Alake highlighted the sector’s shift from informality to a structured, investor-friendly environment driven by transparency, risk mitigation, and value chain optimization. Despite backlash—including personal threats—he vowed to strictly enforce regulations, especially the “Use it or Lose it” clause aimed at preventing license hoarding and non-compliance.
He revealed plans for a new pre-shipment agency, satellite surveillance of mining sites, and doubling the number of mining marshals to curb illegal mining activities nationwide.
Alake urged stakeholders and investors to leverage the Nigeria Mining Week as a platform for networking and advancing industrialization through mining. The event, themed “Nigerian Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance,” runs from October 13 to 15, 2025, at the Abuja Continental Hotel.
In support, Dele Ayanleke, President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, commended the Minister’s efforts and called for continued policy enforcement to maximize Nigeria’s mining potential.
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