The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has pledged the Ministry’s support to the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) to harness the region’s solid mineral resources for investment, job creation and sustainable development.
Alake gave the assurance when the Director-General of the SSDC, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, led a delegation of the Commission on a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.
The Minister said the partnership aligns with the Federal Government’s efforts to use regional development commissions to unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
He noted that although the South-South is widely known for its oil and gas resources, the region also has significant solid mineral deposits that could support Nigeria’s economic diversification drive.
Alake said ongoing reforms in the mining sector were aimed at making solid minerals a major driver of industrialisation, investment and job creation through local value addition, responsible mining and stronger regulation.
He said the reforms had led to increased government revenue from the sector, attracted more than $2.6 billion in Foreign Direct Investment and encouraged the establishment of mineral processing facilities across the country.
The Minister urged South-South states to take advantage of the Federal Government’s framework for direct participation in mining through state-owned Special Purpose Vehicles and properly obtained mining licences.
According to him, several states have already secured mining licence approvals under the framework.
Alake, however, warned against unilateral state policies on mining, stressing that a coordinated regulatory framework was necessary to build investor confidence and prevent conflicting authorities in the sector.
“We have a commonality of objective; we just need to harmonise our strategies and tactics to achieve it,” the Minister stated.
He assured the Commission of the Ministry’s cooperation in unlocking the mineral potential of the South-South region.
Alake said the Ministry would involve the Commission in such engagements, describing the SSDC as a potential driver of increased investment and development in the region.
Earlier, the Director-General of the SSDC, Ms. Usoro Akpabio, said the Commission was seeking a practical partnership with the Ministry in sustainable mining, environmental innovation, investment and job creation.
She said the SSDC would align its activities with the Ministry’s policies while working with state authorities and security agencies, particularly in the training and formalisation of artisanal miners.
Both parties also agreed on the need for regional stakeholder and investment engagements to showcase mineral opportunities and connect investors with projects across the South-South.
The partnership is part of the Federal Government’s broader strategy to link Nigeria’s mineral resources with regional development bodies to promote investment, industrialisation, employment and sustainable development across the country.
