Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has announced that the mining sector’s contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product has grown from less than 0.5 per cent to 4.6 per cent in the second quarter of 2025, marking a decade of steady transformation in the industry.
He made this known at a pre-event briefing ahead of the 10th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week, set to hold from October 13 to 15, 2025, in Abuja. Themed “Nigeria Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance,” the forum will unite investors, regulators, and industry players to map out the next phase of growth for the solid minerals sector.
According to Alake, the ministry’s focus has shifted from internal reforms to establishing Nigeria as a globally competitive mining destination. “Ten years ago, the sector contributed less than 0.5 per cent to GDP. Today, it has risen to about 4.6 per cent, and our target is to reach 10 per cent in the coming years,” he stated.
He attributed the growth to policy reforms under President Bola Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasize transparency, investment de-risking, and value addition. Key reforms include strengthening the Solid Minerals Development Fund, launching Mining Marshals to combat illegal mining, digitizing geological data, reforming the Mining Cadastre Office, and implementing new Community Development Agreement guidelines.
“These interventions reflect our resolve to make solid minerals a major pillar of Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda,” Alake said. “Our mission is not just domestic reform but ensuring Nigeria competes globally as a credible mining destination.”
The minister disclosed that the upcoming Nigeria Mining Week would host over 3,500 delegates and 100 exhibitors, featuring discussions on lithium, gold, tin, and rare earth minerals.
The National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Dele Ayanleke, described the milestone as “a decade of innovation and progress,” while acknowledging ongoing challenges such as insecurity and financing gaps.
He noted that these obstacles present “opportunities to chart a bold course for the next decade of mining development.”
PwC Nigeria Partner, Habeeb Jaiyeola, added that the mining reforms “have reshaped the sector and positioned Nigeria as a major investment destination.”
Alake concluded that the country’s solid minerals growth is “a testament to the resilience of policy, partnership, and purpose,” assuring that the government remains committed to building a sustainable mining-driven economy.
