ABUJA – The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has announced that recent reforms by the Tinubu administration have significantly boosted investor interest in Nigeria’s mining sector.

Speaking at the Nigeria Middle East Investors Expo and Awards, Alake highlighted how the federal government’s focus on solid minerals has attracted global attention and increased investments and revenue for Nigeria.

In a statement released on Friday by Mr. Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Honourable Minister, Alake detailed the impact of his 7-point agenda.

He emphasized the success of the mining marshals in combating illegal mining activities, with over 300 illegal operators apprehended and more than 133 currently undergoing prosecution.

“Since deploying the mining marshals as part of our comprehensive plan to sanitize the mining environment, they have been working assiduously and efficiently. We are making significant progress,” Alake stated.

To enhance the operations of the mining marshals, Alake revealed plans to incorporate satellite monitoring of mining sites.

“We are installing satellite surveillance mechanisms, allowing us to monitor all mining sites in Nigeria from the Minister’s office, identify any illicit activities, and promptly deploy mobile mining marshals,” he explained.

The minister encouraged investors to capitalize on Nigeria’s extensive mineral deposits.

He highlighted the identification of over 40 million tonnes of talc deposits in Niger, Osun, Kogi, Ogun, and Kaduna states; approximately 1 billion metric tonnes of iron ore in Kogi, Enugu, Niger states, and the Federal Capital Territory; and an estimated 10 metric tonnes of lead and zinc across eight states, among others.

Alake also mentioned the recent launch of the Decision Support System (DSS), an online platform providing comprehensive information about Nigeria’s solid minerals sector to assist prospective investors in making informed decisions.

Highlighting the abundance of high-grade critical minerals in the country, Alake affirmed Nigeria’s readiness for business and encouraged investors to take advantage of improved regulatory frameworks and incentives. “We have over 44 globally sought critical minerals in Nigeria. A crucial factor for foreign investment is data.

We are working to significantly increase funding for exploration to generate the necessary big data that will attract major international players and position Nigeria as a global mining destination,” he asserted.