The Federal Government has pledged support for efforts by the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to unlock the mineral potential of the region and promote sustainable mining activities.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, made the commitment when a delegation from the SSDC, led by its Director-General, Ms Usoro Offiong Akpabio, visited the ministry in Abuja.
Alake said the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s broader strategy of working with regional development commissions to accelerate economic growth across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
He noted that although the South-South region is widely recognised for its oil and gas resources, it also possesses significant solid mineral deposits capable of supporting economic diversification.
According to the minister, ongoing reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector are focused on encouraging local processing, attracting investment, strengthening regulation and promoting responsible mining practices.
He said the reforms had contributed to increased government revenue from the sector and helped attract more than $2.6 billion in foreign direct investment into Nigeria’s solid minerals industry.
Alake added that investments in mineral processing facilities were creating employment opportunities and strengthening Nigeria’s industrial development.
Government encourages states to participate in mining
The minister urged South-South states to take advantage of the Federal Government’s framework that allows states to participate directly in mining through Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and legally obtained mining licences.
He said several states had already secured mining approvals through the initiative.
However, Alake cautioned state governments against creating separate mining regulations outside the national framework, stressing that a unified regulatory system was necessary to maintain investor confidence.
“We have a commonality of objective; we just need to harmonise our strategies and tactics to achieve it,” he said.
The minister assured the SSDC that the ministry would continue to involve the commission in investment-focused engagements designed to highlight mineral opportunities within the South-South region.
SSDC seeks partnership on sustainable mining
Speaking during the visit, SSDC Director-General Usoro Offiong Akpabio said the commission was interested in collaborating with the ministry to promote sustainable mining, environmental innovation, investment and job creation.
She said the commission would work alongside relevant government agencies, state authorities and security organisations to support the training and formalisation of artisanal miners.
The SSDC leadership also expressed commitment to organising regional stakeholder engagements aimed at connecting investors with specific mineral opportunities across South-South states.
The partnership forms part of the Federal Government’s emerging approach of linking Nigeria’s natural resources with regional development structures to promote industrialisation, employment creation and sustainable economic growth.
Background Information
Nigeria has historically depended heavily on crude oil revenue despite having significant deposits of minerals including: Gold, lithium, tin, tantalite, limestone, barite, coal, iron ore
The Federal Government has increasingly promoted solid minerals as a key pillar of economic diversification, aiming to reduce dependence on oil and develop local processing industries.
The South-South region, traditionally known for petroleum production, is being encouraged to explore mineral resources as part of broader economic transformation efforts.
