Tinubu: Nigeria Too Rich In Minerals To Be Poor

By AUGUSTINA McSOLOMON-OGHAKPERUO

PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has said Nigeria has no justification for poverty given its vast mineral wealth and human talent.

Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Mining Week in Abuja, Tinubu — represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume — urged stakeholders to transform the nation’s solid minerals into “miracles of development,” adding, “Minerals to Miracles must be our rallying cry.”

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to ensuring mining areas are safe and investor-friendly, stressing that Africa’s future depends on responsible resource development that creates jobs and retains value locally.

The Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) called for a harmonised and transparent regulatory framework to attract long-term investment. NEITI Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, noted that despite revenue growth from ₦339.57 billion in 2022 to ₦401.87 billion in 2023, the sector’s contribution to GDP remains below 1%, underscoring the need for urgent reforms.

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Oladele Alake, also outlined ongoing reforms to reposition the mining sector as a key driver of economic diversification and sustainable growth.