The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has challenged stakeholders in the mining sector to move beyond existing reforms by setting new targets while consolidating gains already recorded under the ministry’s seven-point agenda.
Speaking at the 2026 Ministerial Retreat in Abuja, Alake said the ministry must remain focused on delivering measurable outcomes that would position the sector as a major pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification.
Addressing directors and staff, the minister praised civil servants for their dedication, discipline and professionalism, describing them as the backbone of effective governance.
He said the recognition the ministry now enjoys within and outside government is a product of teamwork, competence and commitment rather than chance.
Alake stressed that success should never breed complacency, noting that sustaining achievements requires even greater effort than attaining them.
He urged officials to remain innovative and continuously raise performance standards, insisting that “the reward for success is more hard work.”
He charged participants to begin developing a fresh reform roadmap that would complement the ministry’s current seven-point agenda.
According to him, while the existing priorities remain on course, the ministry must identify new initiatives capable of accelerating growth, boosting revenue, creating jobs, expanding industrialisation and increasing the sector’s contribution to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
The minister identified institutional effectiveness as the most critical requirement for achieving the ministry’s objectives, arguing that policies alone cannot deliver results without disciplined, ethical and professional public servants.
He said every official has a responsibility to strengthen the institution through integrity, accountability and commitment to service.
Highlighting recent milestones, Alake pointed to the commissioning of a 250-million-dollar lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State, describing it as proof that government reforms are attracting significant investments.
He said the next phase should focus on producing lithium batteries and other value-added products locally to maximise employment, technology transfer and export earnings.
He also vowed to deepen value addition across the mining industry by enforcing Community Development Agreements (CDAs).
The minister warned that mining companies that fail to fulfil their obligations to host communities risk losing their licences, adding that stronger community participation would improve security and ensure sustainable mining operations.
On illegal mining, Alake called for fresh ideas to strengthen the fight against the menace.
He said while security agencies remain constitutionally responsible for combating armed criminal groups, the ministry would continue improving the Mining Marshals through enhanced training, stronger legal backing and better equipment as funding becomes available.
The minister further encouraged participants to freely criticise existing processes and propose practical solutions during the retreat, assuring them that constructive debate would strengthen the ministry’s reforms.
He said innovative thinking and collaboration were essential to sustaining progress in the sector.
In his presentation, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Solid Minerals, Sampson Ekong, reaffirmed the National Assembly’s commitment to supporting mining sector reforms through legislation and oversight.
He called for increased funding, stronger collaboration among stakeholders and decisive action against illegal mining, warning that inadequate budget implementation was slowing the sector’s transformation.
Also the Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, Jonathan Gaza, commended the ministry’s reforms, saying the seven-point agenda had addressed longstanding challenges in the sector.
He, however, urged the Federal Government to prioritise funding for mining projects, arguing that the industry has the capacity to rival oil in revenue generation if adequately financed.
Earlier the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Faruk Yabo said the retreat was designed to align the ministry’s programmes with President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda while accelerating implementation of the ministry’s seven-point agenda.
He emphasised that the era of business as usual had ended, urging officials to embrace measurable performance, teamwork and accountability in delivering national priorities.
Participants at the retreat were urged to use the two-day engagement to develop practical strategies, strengthen institutional performance and produce innovative solutions capable of transforming Nigeria’s solid minerals sector into a globally competitive industry and a key driver of sustainable economic growth.
