The Nigerian Government has partnered with the North Central Development Commission (NCDC) to unlock the vast mining potential of Nigeria’s North Central region, with a focus on job creation through mineral processing.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake said this when he received the NCDC management team at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja the nation’s capital.
Alake stated that “over 300 small-scale and artisanal miners have been organised into cooperatives to curb illegal mining and integrate operators into the formal sector.”
According to him, “more than 300 small-scale and artisanal miners have been organised into cooperatives” as part of efforts to steer them away from illegal operations.
Alake also noted that “over 300 illegal miners have been arrested, while about 150, including foreigners, are currently undergoing prosecution.”
He said that the North Central region has benefited significantly from the ministry’s local value addition policy, with new mineral processing projects already taking off.
“Through our value addition policy, mining is contributing more than $2 billion to the country’s economy,” the Minister said.
Explaining the policy, he stated that it is designed to encourage in-country processing and beneficiation of mineral resources, thereby reducing raw material exportation while boosting industrial growth, job creation, and economic diversification.
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Alake stressed the importance of national service and integrity in public office, telling the NCDC team; “You have a very critical role to play and note that you are not doing it for the president or the government. You’re doing it for the Nigerian nation. And your own names would also be etched in the sands of time.”
“You don’t have to make material acquisition your main focus because materialism is transient, a flash in the pan, ” he added.
The NCDC Managing Director, Mr. Cyril Tsenyil, said the visit aimed at fostering collaboration.
“This visit is to seek areas of collaboration between our institutions, align our efforts, and leverage shared resources to drive sustainable development,” he said.
Mr. Tsenyil also proposed the creation of a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV), noting that it would help “drive development in the mining sub-sector and maximise the region’s rich mineral potential.”
Both parties agreed to establish a technical working committee to advance their partnership.
The NCDC, established under the North Central Development Commission (Establishment) Act of 2024 by President Bola Tinubu, is mandated to drive development across Benue, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Plateau, and the Federal Capital Territory.