The 10th anniversary edition of Nigeria Mining Week 2025 kicked off in Abuja with unprecedented energy, uniting top government officials, CEOs, financiers, state leaders, and international stakeholders. The message was unmistakable: Nigeria is entering a new era of mining-led economic growth, value addition, and investment readiness.
During the keynote address Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, Minister of Steel Development, emphasised the pivotal role of the event: “The Nigerian Mining Week has become a key platform for knowledge exchange, collaboration, and strategic planning among industry players, policymakers, investors, and development partners.”
He thanked the organisers for giving the steel sector a central role, noting that steel drives investment in iron ore, coal, fluxes, limestone, and other raw materials abundant in Nigeria.
This year’s theme highlights value addition, industrial growth, and global competitiveness. However, to fully unlock Nigeria’s potential, he stressed the need for:
- Policy consistency
- Affordable and reliable energy
- Efficient logistics: rail, ports, roads, waterways, gas
- Stakeholder collaboration
These elements are necessary to achieve President Bola Tinubu’s ambitious target of $1 trillion GDP by 2030.
Government priorities for the minerals and metals sector
Abubakar Audu shared the President Tinubu’s three key priorities were clearly outlined as:
- Unlock energy and natural resources sustainably
- Improve infrastructure and transportation as growth enablers
- Accelerate diversification through industrialisation, digitisation, manufacturing, and innovation
“The mineral sector is central to all three. Local steel production will significantly increase demand for iron ore, limestone, dolomite, clay, and coal, creating jobs and stimulating industrial value chains. The ministry is working to cut $4 billion in annual steel imports and strengthen regulatory standards,” he added.
Dr. Dele Alake, Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, shared the transformation of Nigeria’s mining sector, emphasising collaboration, leadership, and decisive action. He noted that the progress made in the last 24 months is remarkable, but it must be viewed in contrast to decades of neglect when Nigeria relied almost entirely on oil. This overdependence on petroleum, he said, weakened the development of solid minerals, steel, manufacturing, and agriculture—sectors that hold the real key to sustainable growth.
He praised President Bola Tinubu’s economic diversification agenda, explaining that the world’s transition to green energy places minerals at the centre of future prosperity. Nigeria possesses these minerals in abundance, making the solid minerals sector the next economic engine of the nation.
However, progress requires unity. Quoting M.K.O. Abiola, he said, “You cannot clap with one hand,” emphasising that government cannot advance alone—stakeholders, miners, and investors are essential partners. Their collaboration has guided policy reforms and set the sector on the path to success.
Dr. Alake highlighted that no leader intends to fail, but success depends on the art and science of implementation. Nigeria has had many long-term development plans, but most never left the page. What sets the current administration apart, he argued, is the courage to implement long-delayed projects. Initiatives conceptualised over 40 years ago—such as the Maganri Island project and major national highways—are finally becoming reality.
He concluded that Nigeria is fortunate to have leadership committed to turning plans into progress and positioning mining at the heart of national development.