The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, has ordered mining marshals to seal an illegal gold mining site in Gwagwalada, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), declaring that the Federal Government will no longer condone unlawful mining activities.
“Illegal mining will not be tolerated anywhere in this country. We are committed to eradicating it and safeguarding our environment and communities,” Alake warned.
His directive came after intelligence reports revealed fresh illegal operations on farmland behind CKC in Gwagwalada, where artisanal miners reportedly invaded following the accidental discovery of a gold vein during the digging of a soakaway pit.
The minister’s action follows a similar operation on August 16, 2025, when mining marshals sealed another site in the District 2 Extension layout, Gwagwalada, leading to the arrest of 16 suspects now awaiting prosecution.
During an on-the-spot assessment of the latest sealed site on Wednesday, officials of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development led by the Director of Mines Inspectorate, represented by Deputy Director Sunday Okhuoya, confirmed full compliance with the order. Okhuoya added that thorough investigations are underway to forestall further breaches.
Commander of the Mining Marshals, Assistant Commandant of Corps (ACC) John Attah Onoja, disclosed that his team had mounted 24-hour surveillance on both affected sites pending the conclusion of the Federal Government’s inquiry.
Dr. Alake also advised residents to avoid the locations due to potential environmental and health risks, while assuring that the Ministry is fast-tracking the deployment of satellite surveillance technology to strengthen monitoring and enforcement across Nigeria’s mining sector.
Nigeria and Japan are set to deepen collaboration in the mining sector as both countries align investment plans to unlock opportunities in Nigeria’s vast mineral resources.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development (MSMD) confirmed the development following strategic talks between Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, and officials of the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC) on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Trade and Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama.
According to a statement by Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, Special Adviser to the Honourable Minister, the meeting focused on attracting Japanese mining companies into Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
President of JOGMEC, Mr. Michio Daito, acknowledged Nigeria’s rich mineral deposits but stressed the need for more clarity on economic conditions before Japanese firms commit to large-scale investments. He highlighted issues such as power supply, tax incentives, labour, free trade zones, and infrastructure as critical to reducing investment risks.
Responding, Dr. Alake assured Japanese investors that President Bola Tinubu’s reforms including subsidy removal, a stabilised exchange rate, and major rail, road, and waterway projects have created a more enabling environment for businesses.
“Producing and processing the critical minerals you need in Nigeria is cheaper and more profitable as the costs of production are lower,” Alake said, adding that recent electricity sector reforms would allow industries to generate and manage their own power supply.
The Minister also disclosed that Japanese mining companies would benefit from tax holidays and duty waivers on equipment, while urging them to invest in local processing of minerals before export in line with Nigeria’s value-addition policy.
The talks also featured the Nigeria Solid Minerals Company (NSMC), represented by its CEO, Martins Imonitie. The NSMC, designed to take equity stakes in mining projects, is expected to serve as a trusted partner to strengthen investor confidence.
Earlier engagements with Japanese trading giants Mitsubishi Corporation, Sumitomo Corporation, and Mitsui & Company had signaled growing interest in Nigeria’s mining industry, with final commitments expected after JOGMEC’s approval.
The meeting concluded with both parties agreeing to strengthen technical exchanges and foster direct collaboration between JOGMEC and NSMC to accelerate concrete investment outcomes.
For decades, Nigeria stood at the edge of promise—rich in minerals, rich in minds, yet poor in outcomes. The story was painfully familiar: foreign firms arrived with fanfare, extracted our birthright, and left behind dust, debt, and disillusionment. Communities watched trucks roll out with wealth they would never touch. Governments signed deals that mortgaged tomorrow for pennies. And the people—resilient, brilliant, hopeful—were told to wait.
But something is shifting. Quietly. Purposefully.
In the ochre hills of Nasarawa, machines now hum with intent. Not to extract and export, but to refine and retain. Nigeria’s first lithium processing plant, commissioned in 2024, is not just a factory—it is a statement. It says: We will no longer sell our future raw. It says: We will build here, employ here, prosper here.
This is not a lone effort. It is a coordinated uprising of vision. Under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s reformist leadership, Nigeria has declared an end to the era of economic surrender. His administration has banned the export of unprocessed lithium, demanded value addition, and insisted that every investor must leave behind more than profit—they must leave behind progress.
And they are listening.
By mid-2025, six lithium factories—some operational, others nearing completion—dot the Nigerian landscape. From Avatar New Energy’s 1-million-ton-per-year plant in Nasarawa to Ming Xin’s 1,500-ton-per-day facility in Kaduna, the numbers are staggering. Jiuling Lithium Mining and Canmax Technologies are investing hundreds of millions more, with new plants rising near Abuja and the Kaduna-Niger border. ReElement Technologies has joined the charge, bringing US capital into the fold.
Together, these factories will form the foundation of a new industrial base. But the true measure of this revolution is not in tonnage, but in value. And the numbers are staggering in their own right.
Based on direct projections from the landmark $1.3 billion investment led by the African Finance Corporation and the Solid Minerals Development Fund, Nigeria’s initial lithium factories are expected to generate approximately $1.2 billion in annual economic output once fully operational. This is not a distant dream—it is the stated target for the first wave of major processing facilities in Kaduna and Nasarawa.
But this is merely the beginning. This $1.2 billion base is the proof of concept, the critical first step that validates Nigeria’s strategy of banning raw exports and demanding local beneficiation. Industry analysts, seeing this momentum, forecast that as more plants come online and export supply chains mature, total lithium sector revenues could surge to $4.2 billion by 2026 and reach as high as $8.5 billion by 2035.
The math of sovereignty is now clear. Even at this initial stage, the state’s share—captured through taxes, royalties, wages, and local procurement—will far exceed the crumbs of the past. This time, the wealth won’t vanish into offshore accounts or foreign boardrooms. It will build roads, fund schools, power homes, and pay salaries. It is the fruit of a policy that insists: We will no longer sell our future raw.
But this revolution is not just economic. It is emotional. It is moral.
It is the story of a country reclaiming its dignity. Of a government saying never again to the exploitation of its people and land. Of communities like Endo and Kangimi, once forgotten, now becoming hubs of innovation and employment. Over 50,000 jobs are projected—engineers, welders, drivers, cooks, teachers. The ripple effect is real.
Backing this vision with precision and resolve is the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Henry Dele Alake—a man whose tenure has brought rare dynamism and order to a sector long plagued by opacity and neglect. Under his watch, Nigeria’s solid minerals space has shifted from chaos to clarity, from speculation to structure. He has ensured the implementation of President Tinubu’s policies in the solid mineral sector with meticulous fidelity. His administrative mantras are not just technical—they are transformational, rooted in discipline, transparency, and a fierce commitment to national interest.
And it is the story of Africa rising—not as a supplier of raw materials, but as a manufacturer of solutions. Lithium powers the batteries in electric cars, solar panels, and smartphones. It is the mineral of the future. And Nigeria, with its reserves and resolve, is positioning itself not just to participate—but to lead.
President Tinubu’s stance is clear. When global giants came asking for raw lithium, he said no. Not out of defiance, but out of duty. “The era of exporting raw solid minerals from Nigeria is over,” he declared. And with that, he drew a line in the sand—a line between the past we endured and the future we deserve.
This is not a miracle. It is a movement. A silent revolution, built on policy, discipline, and belief. It is the kind of change that doesn’t scream—it works. And it is working.
So let the cynics watch. Let the skeptics wait. Nigeria is not asking for applause. It is building. Deliberately. Powerfully. Permanently.
The ground beneath our feet is no longer just soil—it is sovereignty. And from it, a new Nigeria is rising. One that will never again trade its birthright for peanuts. One that will refine its minerals, its vision, and its destiny.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, says his administration has reversed the trend of bloated recurrent expenditure by slashing it down and allocating 70 percent of the FCT budget to capital projects, in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Phase II rehabilitation of the Lower Usman Dam in Ushafa on Tuesday in Bwari Area Council, Abuja.
Wike stressed that his reforms were designed to end wasteful spending and channel resources into infrastructure and essential services that directly impact residents.
He accused some civil servants of awarding frivolous contracts worth between ₦5 million and ₦25 million without ministerial approval, describing such practices as avenues through which funds for meaningful projects had been diverted in the past.
“Computers every year and foreign trips will not solve our problems. What will help is the development of our people roads, schools, water, and security. That is what is important,” the Minister said.
On the controversy surrounding alleged unpaid indigenous contractors, the Minister vowed not to bow to blackmail or approve payments for irregularly awarded jobs.
“When you want to fight corruption, corruption will fight you back. But we will defeat corruption. If anybody says I awarded a contract, let them bring the documents. I will not be intimidated,” he declared.
Wike also hit back at critics who accuse the FCTA of focusing only on roads, insisting that the administration was investing heavily in other sectors, particularly education.
He directed the Secretary of Education to publish a list of completed, renovated, and ongoing schools across the FCT.
The Federal Government has announced a significant subsidy on the cost of kidney dialysis in Federal hospitals, reducing the price from N50,000 to N12,000 per session.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare described the intervention as a life-saving measure designed to ease the physical and financial burden on patients, particularly vulnerable Nigerians, while expanding access to universal health coverage.
“This intervention is a deliberate initiative of the present administration to bring relief to patients with kidney-related diseases and expand access to universal health coverage,” the Ministry stated in a release signed by Alaba Balogun, Deputy Director and Head of Information & Public Relations.
The pilot scheme is currently running in 11 Federal Tertiary Health Institutions across all geopolitical zones, namely:
Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital
University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital
University of Jos Teaching Hospital
National Hospital, Abuja
Federal Medical Centre, Ebute Metta
University College Hospital, Ibadan
University of Benin Teaching Hospital
Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa
Federal Teaching Hospital, Owerri
Federal Medical Centre, Abakaliki
The Ministry dismissed reports suggesting that the Northwest was excluded, insisting that the scheme is designed to benefit all Nigerians, with plans underway to extend it to more hospitals nationwide.
“The Federal Government is committed to ensuring no Nigerian is left behind in accessing healthcare services across the country under its Renewed Hope Agenda,” the statement added.
The Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Barr. Nyesom Wike, says his administration has reversed years of wasteful governance by cutting down recurrent expenditure and allocating 70 percent of the FCT budget to capital projects in line with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Phase II rehabilitation of the Lower Usman Dam in Ushafa, Bwari Area Council, Abuja, on Tuesday, Wike declared that the reforms were designed to end frivolous spending and redirect resources into infrastructure and essential services that touch the lives of residents.
He accused some civil servants of diverting funds through the award of frivolous contracts worth between ₦5 million and ₦25 million without ministerial approval. Describing the practice as wasteful, he vowed to dismantle such avenues of corruption.
“Buying computers every year and foreign trips will not solve our problems. What will help is the development of our people—roads, schools, water, and security. That is what is important,” Wike said.
On the controversy over alleged unpaid indigenous contractors, the Minister insisted he would not yield to blackmail or approve payments for irregularly awarded jobs.
“When you want to fight corruption, corruption will fight you back. But we will defeat corruption. If anybody says I awarded a contract, let them bring the documents. I will not be intimidated,” he declared.
Responding to critics who accuse the FCTA of focusing only on roads, Wike stressed that the administration was also prioritizing education. He directed the Secretary of Education to publish a comprehensive list of completed, renovated, and ongoing schools across the FCT.
Addressing critics who accuse the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) of focusing mainly on roads, the FCT Minister, Barr. Nyesom Wike, has said the administration is investing heavily in education and other essential sectors to improve the lives of residents across Abuja and its satellite towns.
Wike, who spoke at the commissioning of the Phase II rehabilitation of the Lower Usman Dam in Ushafa, directed the Secretary of Education to publish a list of completed, renovated, and ongoing schools in both urban and rural communities under the Tinubu administration.
On the controversy surrounding alleged unpaid indigenous contractors, the Minister insisted he would not bow to pressure to pay for irregularly awarded jobs, describing the uproar as a pushback from entrenched corruption.
“When you want to fight corruption, corruption will fight you back. But we will defeat corruption. If anybody says I awarded a contract, let them bring the documents. I will not be intimidated,” Wike declared.
He accused some civil servants of awarding frivolous contracts worth between ₦5 million and ₦25 million without ministerial approval, warning that such practices in the past had drained resources meant for critical infrastructure.
According to him, his leadership has reversed the trend by slashing recurrent expenditure and channeling 70 percent of the FCTA budget into capital projects.
“Computers every year and foreign trips will not solve our problems. What will help is the development of our people—roads, schools, water, and security. That is what is important,” he stressed.
The Minister reaffirmed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is already transforming Abuja, pledging that his administration will leave behind a legacy of growth and accountability.
“This opportunity Mr. President has given us, history will be on our side. When we leave, we will leave with our shoulders high, knowing that we have changed the narrative in Abuja,” he added.
Wike further disclosed that through reforms, the FCTA has raised its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) from ₦9 billion to not less than ₦30 billion monthly, which has been critical to funding projects without excessive borrowing.
He explained that the completion of Phase II of the Lower Usman Dam—awarded in 2022 at about ₦50 billion—will boost water supply across the city, while Phases I, III and IV have been approved by the Federal Executive Council to expand capacity further.
The Minister also revealed that the administration had signed a ₦90 billion agreement with Chinese firm CGC to provide water for satellite towns, with flag-off ceremonies slated for Bwari and Karu this week.
“We are not just concentrating on the development of the city; we are taking development to the satellite towns. Water is life, and Mr. President has directed that every resident must feel the impact of governance,” Wike said.
He insisted that despite criticisms, the FCTA under Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda is focused on tangible projects that directly benefit residents, from roads and schools to clean water and improved services.
The Geneith Health Competition (GHC) has declared that Nigerian youth must take the lead in the fight against malaria, as the nation works to end one of its deadliest public health challenges.
Organised by CEOAFRICA, sponsored by Geneith Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and powered by Coatal Forte Softgel, the initiative is designed to empower students in secondary and tertiary institutions as health ambassadors, driving malaria awareness and prevention campaigns in their schools and communities.
Prince Cletus Ilobanafor, MD/CEO of CEOAFRICA, described the competition as more than just a contest. “The Geneith Health Competition is not just a contest; it is a movement that empowers youth to take ownership of their health and that of their communities,” he said.
Echoing this call, Mr. Emmanuel Umenwa, MD of Geneith Pharmaceuticals, stressed the importance of engaging young people in the fight. “Nigerian youth must be at the forefront of battling malaria. By equipping them with knowledge, we can create a network of health ambassadors driving change,” he said.
The competition provides a structured platform for participants to spread awareness on malaria prevention strategies, with cash prizes as motivation to excel and to expand the reach of critical health messages.
Organisers noted that the programme aligns with global health goals while spotlighting the pivotal role of youth in advancing societal change. Registration for the competition is ongoing, and students across Nigeria are encouraged to participate.
Inspiring participants, the campaign promotes mottos such as: “End malaria, our strongest challenge yet;” “Your health, your defense against malaria;” “Stand strong, stay malaria-free;” “Mosquitoes don’t rest, neither should we;” and “Join the competition, beat the bite.”
“We call upon all young individuals to join this vital initiative,” Ilobanafor urged. “Together, as youth ambassadors, we can make malaria a thing of the past in Nigeria.”
Students can register and find more details at www.geneithhealthcompetition.com.
The Honourable Minister of Defence H.E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar CON, has reiterated Nigeria’s commitment to building strong institutions as the foundation for good governance and national stability.
Speaking during the Graduation Lecture for Course 33 at the National Defence College (NDC) Auditorium, Abuja, he said: “Strong nations are built on strong institutions, not strong individuals.” He stressed that reforms and leadership appointments under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda are intended to entrench accountability and professionalism across government institutions, including the defence sector.
Addressing the graduating participants, the Minister urged principled leadership: “Leadership is a trust. Your responsibility is to leave behind systems stronger than you found them.” He encouraged the new graduates to lead with integrity, accountability and a commitment to institutional strengthening.
He commended efforts by African governments, the African Union and ECOWAS in advancing governance, peace and development, and called for deeper cooperation to consolidate those gains across the continent.
He praised President Tinubu for his continued support for the Armed Forces and the National Defence College, and welcomed the insights of HE Nana Akufo-Addo, noting that the former President’s lecture will inspire the next generation of African leaders.
The Office of the Honourable Minister of Defence H. E. Mohammed Badaru Abubakar, wishes to clarify and correct recent online reports that falsely claimed the Minister lost his polling unit during the Garki/Babura Federal Constituency by-election.
Tus was contained in a statement signed by Mati Ali , PA, Media & Publicity to the Honourable Minister of Defence
For the record, the Honourable Minister’s polling unit is Babura Kofar Arewa Primary School — Polling Unit 002 (PU 002). His Excellency personally cast his vote at PU 002. The official result, as released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and announced by the Returning Officer, is as follows:
• All Progressives Congress (APC): 188 votes
• Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): 164 votes
These authentic results confirm a clear victory for APC at Babura Kofar Arewa Primary School, Polling Unit 002.
We categorically reject the inaccurate reports circulating online that misidentified the polling unit as PU 001 and wrongly asserted the Minister lost his polling unit. Such reports are false and misleading. We urge the public, party members, and the media to rely only on INEC’s official declarations and to disregard the spurious claims.
