Udoma
Port Harcourt — Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has called on global investors to take a deeper look at Nigeria’s mining sector, citing recent reforms, enhanced security, and technological innovations that have made the industry safer and more investor-friendly.
Speaking at the China Mining Conference in Tianjin, Alake said the Nigerian government’s strategic reforms are already yielding positive results, with stronger institutional frameworks, improved monitoring systems, and expanded investment support structures.
Alake said, “Our reforms are paying off. Stronger security through the Mining Marshals and satellite monitoring, as well as better technology like the Electronic Mining Cadastre, EMC+, and the National Mineral Resource Data System, NMRDS, have made mining safer and easier to manage.”
Alake emphasized that Nigeria’s solid minerals sector is one of the most promising in Africa, offering vast opportunities in lithium, gold, lead-zinc, barite, and rare earth metals, resources critical to global clean energy and industrial supply chains.
“Nigeria offers vast potential in these key minerals. Our goal is not just to mine, but to build a competitive value chain that drives clean energy, industry, and sustainable growth. We want investors who will process and add value locally, not just extract and export.”
As Chairman of the Africa Minerals Strategy Group, Alake noted that his focus extends beyond Nigeria to fostering regional collaboration and standardization across Africa’s mineral economies.
“I’m focused on strengthening regional cooperation and shared standards so Africa can benefit fully from its resources,” he said. “By harmonizing regulations and ensuring transparency, we can build a continental mining ecosystem that attracts serious, long-term investors.”
He further disclosed that the Solid Minerals Development Fund, SMDF, is being expanded to support early exploration projects and de-risk private investments, a move aimed at stimulating growth across Nigeria’s mining value chain.
“We’re expanding the SMDF to support early exploration and reduce investor risk,” Alake said. “This is how we intend to ensure that investors can enter the market with confidence and exit with profit.”
Highlighting the government’s commitment to long-term sustainability, Alake said Nigeria’s mining vision aligns with the global clean energy transition, given the country’s rich deposits of lithium and other strategic minerals essential for battery production and renewable technologies.
“The global energy future runs on critical minerals, and Nigeria is positioning itself as a reliable, secure, and responsible supplier. From lithium for electric vehicles to barite for the oil and gas industry, our resources are central to global manufacturing and clean energy systems.”
The Minister reaffirmed that Nigeria’s transparent digital systems, robust security architecture, and investor-friendly policies make it a preferred destination for responsible mining capital.
“With these reforms, we’ve created an environment where investors can trust the process and partner with government in building a sustainable future,” Alake concluded.
