President Bola Tinubu has called on Nigerians to transform the nation’s abundant mineral resources into engines of economic growth, declaring that the country has “no reason to be poor.”
Speaking at the 2025 Nigeria Mining Week held in Abuja, the President — represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume — urged stakeholders to adopt the slogan “Minerals to Miracles” as a rallying cry for national prosperity.
“Nigeria has no reason to be poor, given our abundant resources and talented people. Our challenge is to harness these potentials to bring prosperity to all. Let us turn our minerals into miracles of development,” Tinubu stated.
Describing the annual Mining Week as “an emerging global forum generating ideas to guide Nigeria’s economic renewal through investor collaboration,” the President assured that the Federal Government remained committed to ensuring that mining zones are safe and sustainable for investors, workers, and host communities alike.
Tinubu emphasized Nigeria’s leadership role in Africa’s mineral development, noting that the continent holds about 30 per cent of the world’s known mineral reserves and significant deposits of critical minerals essential to the 21st-century global economy.
“We must harness this wealth responsibly, ensuring that more value remains within our economies — creating jobs, building industrial clusters, and driving sustainable growth,” he added.
Earlier, Chris Ochonu, Deputy Director of Communications and Stakeholders Management at the Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), urged policymakers to create a transparent and harmonised regulatory framework to attract long-term investment and reduce policy overlaps and multiple taxation, which continue to deter credible investors.
NEITI’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, said Nigeria’s mining sector is undergoing far-reaching reforms to reposition it as a key driver of economic diversification and energy transition.
Citing the 2023 NEITI Solid Minerals Industry Report, Dr. Orji revealed that the sector’s contribution to GDP remains below 1%, despite a revenue increase from ₦339.57 billion in 2022 to ₦401.87 billion in 2023.
“Our data show that artisanal and small-scale mining accounted for over 80% of total production but contributed less than 30% of royalties. This underscores deep governance and structural challenges that require urgent reform,” he noted.
Also speaking, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake, presented a status report on reforms initiated by the current administration to transform the mining sector into a driver of inclusive economic growth.
On the sidelines of the event, Dr. Orji addressed a special forum organised by the Kaduna Mining Development Company, where he stressed the importance of transparency, accountability, and institutional reform in boosting investor confidence and strengthening sub-national mining enterprises.
