The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has issued a stinging rebuke against the Federal Government’s decision to establish Nigeria’s national gold refinery in Lagos State. The group described the move as a deliberate act of “economic dispossession” against the North, where the majority of the mineral is sourced, and a violation of constitutional principles of fairness.
Okay News reports that in a statement released on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, NEF spokesperson Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere warned that locating the facility far from the mining belt strips Northern communities of value addition, skilled employment, and industrial development. The Forum argued that this policy reinforces an exploitative economic model where the North serves merely as a “triple extraction zone”—supplying raw minerals, agricultural produce, and cheap labor—while industrial processing and wealth creation are concentrated in Lagos.
Citing Sections 14(3) and 16(1)(b) of the 1999 Constitution, the NEF insisted that federal character and social justice demand that industrial infrastructure be distributed equitably, rather than centralized in a way that marginalizes specific regions. They drew a parallel to the oil sector, noting that it is standard practice—and international best practice in countries like Ghana and South Africa—to site refineries near the source of the raw material.
In a direct challenge to the region’s political elite, the Forum criticized Northern governors, lawmakers, and ministers for their “dangerous silence” on the matter. The group questioned why leaders with proximity to power are failing to defend the economic dignity of their constituents, warning that history would judge them harshly for allowing such inequality to persist.
The NEF has demanded that the Federal Government review the decision and ensure that at least one primary gold refinery is located within the Northern gold-producing corridor, specifically mentioning states such as Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna, and Katsina. They suggested that while Lagos could serve as an export or trading hub, the industrial processing capacity must remain close to the mines to anchor regional industrialization and curb insecurity.
