Speaking at a media briefing over the weekend ahead of the 10th Nigeria Mining Week beginning Monday, Alake said reforms have begun to bear fruit, citing data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) showing that the sector’s contribution to GDP rose from less than 0.5 percent a decade ago to 1.8 percent, with an unprecedented 4.61 percent recorded in the second quarter of 2025.
He noted that the Nigeria Mining Week reflects the sector’s shift from informality to a structured, innovation-driven and investor-friendly environment. According to him, the government’s reforms focus on transparency, risk mitigation and value-chain development to attract more responsible investors.
Alake revealed that efforts to enforce compliance have faced resistance, including threats to his life. “The mining sector was once an all-comers affair where operators got away with flagrant abuse of regulations. We are correcting that, and those affected have resorted to intimidation and blackmail. But our resolve is unshaken,” he said.
The minister stressed that the revocation of dormant mining licenses is ongoing and that the “use it or lose it” policy will be strictly enforced. He maintained that the era of operators holding licenses for years without activity or defaulting on fees “is gone with the wind.”
“I have had to triple my personal security after receiving threats from those whose licenses were revoked, but I remain undaunted,” Alake said, emphasizing that the government’s actions are guided by principle and national interest.
He announced plans to establish a new pre-shipment agency for solid minerals and deploy satellite surveillance across mining sites. The number of mining marshals will also be doubled to ensure a strong presence in all local government areas and effectively combat illegal mining.
Alake urged stakeholders and investors to support the Nigeria Mining Week, themed “Nigerian Mining: From Progress to Global Relevance.” He said the event, holding from October 13 to 15, 2025, at the Abuja Continental Hotel, will consolidate progress, strengthen partnerships and drive Nigeria’s industrialization through the mining sector.
