The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr. Henry Dele Alake, has pledged the Federal Government’s support for the South-South Development Commission (SSDC) in harnessing the region’s vast solid mineral resources to attract investment, create jobs and promote sustainable development.
Alake gave the assurance when the Director-General of the SSDC, Ms. Usoro Offiong Akpabio, led a delegation of the Commission on a courtesy visit to the Ministry in Abuja.
According to a statement by his Special Assistant on Media Lara Owoeye-Wise, on Tuesday, the Minister described the engagement as significant, noting that it aligned with the Federal Government’s broader strategy of leveraging the geopolitical development commissions established by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to accelerate development and unlock the economic potential of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
According to him, although the South-South region is widely known for its oil and gas resources, it also possesses significant deposits of solid minerals that could play a crucial role in Nigeria’s economic diversification drive.
Alake said ongoing reforms in the solid minerals sector were repositioning it to become a major driver of industrialisation through local value addition, responsible mining, investment promotion and stronger regulatory frameworks.
He highlighted progress recorded since the commencement of the reforms, including increased revenue accruing to the Federal Government, over $2.6 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), and the emergence of mineral processing facilities providing employment opportunities for Nigerians.
The Minister also encouraged South-South states to take advantage of the Federal Government’s framework for direct participation in mining through state-owned Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and the acquisition of properly obtained mining titles.
“Several states have already secured mining licence approvals through this framework,” Alake said.
He, however, cautioned against unilateral state policies on mining, stressing that regulatory consistency was essential to building investor confidence and preventing multiple or conflicting authorities within the sector.
“We have a commonality of objective; we just need to harmonise our strategies and tactics to achieve it,” the Minister said, assuring the SSDC of the Ministry’s full cooperation.
Earlier, the SSDC Director-General, Ms. Akpabio, said the Commission was seeking a practical partnership with the Ministry in areas of sustainable mining, environmental innovation, investment promotion and job creation.
She said the Commission would align its activities with the Ministry’s policies while collaborating with state governments 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 specific mineral opportunities and connect potential investors with viable projects across the South-South region.
Responding, Alake said the Ministry would involve the SSDC in such engagements, describing the Commission as a potential catalyst for deeper investment and accelerated development in the region.
The engagement forms part of growing collaboration between the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and geopolitical development bodies established under the Tinubu administration.
Similar engagements have recently seen regional development stakeholders, including the Northwest Development Coalition, seeking partnerships with the Ministry to harness Nigeria’s mineral resources for regional economic development.
The collaboration reflects the Federal Government’s emerging strategy of linking Nigeria’s vast mineral resources with the country’s new regional development architecture to drive investment, industrialisation, employment and sustainable development across the six geopolitical zones.
