Nigeria urged to prioritise local mineral processing over raw exports

By Emmanuella Opara | October 20th 2026

KEY POINTS

• The Nigerian Society of Economic Geologists says Nigeria must develop local mineral processing capacity to retain more economic value from its resources.
• Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani calls for responsible exploration, credible investment and stronger mining regulations.
• The Emir of Zazzau raises concerns about illegal mining and the displacement of residents from their ancestral lands.
• Stakeholders urge investment in infrastructure, technical skills and environmentally responsible mining.

MAIN STORY

The Nigerian Society of Economic Geologists (NSEG) has urged Nigeria to move beyond exporting unprocessed minerals and invest in local processing, technical expertise and infrastructure to generate greater economic value from its mineral resources.

The society’s president, Prof. Samuel Olobaniyi, made the call on Monday at its 5th Annual International Conference and Exhibition in Kaduna, where stakeholders discussed ways to improve mineral exploration and strengthen the country’s mining industry.

Olobaniyi said Nigeria needed technical capacity, a skilled workforce, adequate infrastructure and industrial partnerships to retain more value within the domestic economy.

The conference, themed “Unlocking the Earth’s Mineral Potential; Innovation and Discovery for Future Resources”, focused on the challenges and opportunities in mineral development and the sector’s contribution to economic diversification.

Olobaniyi said economic geologists played an important role in the mineral development value chain by providing the scientific basis for identifying and assessing viable mineral deposits through structural controls, geochemistry, geophysics and ore-forming mechanisms.

He highlighted the society’s achievements, including the establishment of zonal chapters in Ibadan and Abuja to bring its professional activities closer to members across the country.

He also disclosed that the first volume of the Bulletin of Economic Geology had been completed and would soon be available online to support knowledge development.

The society, he said, had collaborated with the Nigerian Mining and Geosciences Society and other organisations, including in organising the 10th Short Course on African Metallogeny of the Society for Geology Applied to Mineral Deposits in Ibadan.

Olobaniyi urged stakeholders to avoid approaches driven solely by market excitement and instead promote transparent, environmentally responsible mineral production and value addition.

Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, represented by the Commissioner for Environment, Abubakar Buba, said the conference could promote economic diversification, industrialisation, job creation and sustainable development.

He said Nigeria needed to translate its mineral wealth into economic opportunities and improved livelihoods by encouraging responsible exploration, attracting credible investment and expanding local processing.

“As a government, we recognise the solid mineral sector as a strategic driver of economic growth.

“We must therefore promote responsible exploration, attract credible investment, encourage local mineral processing and value addition,” Sani said.

The governor called for stronger regulatory institutions and improved infrastructure to support a competitive mining industry.

He also identified opportunities for Kaduna State to attract investment in mineral exploration, mining, processing and mineral-based industries. He said development should create jobs for young people, support local businesses and improve community livelihoods, while protecting the environment and ensuring host communities shared in the benefits.

In a goodwill message, the Emir of Zazzau, Ahmad Bamalli, represented by the Waziri of Zazzau, Khadi Aminu, called for greater transparency and stronger regulation of mineral exploration.

Bamalli expressed concern over reports of unauthorised miners displacing residents from their ancestral lands, warning that local communities should not be forced to leave their homes to accommodate unregulated mining operations.

“We must insist on mining activities to be properly controlled and regulated. What we see now is a sort of crude way of mining, it should be eliminated,” Bamalli said.

He urged economic geologists and policy experts to develop practical recommendations that would balance commercial mining with the welfare of host communities. He also called for compliance with due process and national interests in mineral investigations.

THE ISSUES

Nigeria’s mineral resources offer opportunities to expand industrial production, create employment and diversify the economy. However, exporting raw minerals without processing them locally limits the value retained within the country.

Expanding domestic processing requires investment in infrastructure, technical expertise and partnerships between mining operators and industrial businesses. Stronger regulation is also necessary to address unauthorised mining and promote responsible resource development.

The concerns raised about the displacement of residents highlight the need to protect host communities and ensure that the benefits of mining are shared fairly.

WHAT’S BEING SAID

“We must therefore promote responsible exploration, attract credible investment, encourage local mineral processing and value addition,” Uba Sani, Governor of Kaduna State, said.

“We must insist on mining activities to be properly controlled and regulated. What we see now is a sort of crude way of mining, it should be eliminated,” Ahmad Bamalli, Emir of Zazzau, said.

WHAT’S NEXT

The conference is expected to inform discussions on mineral exploration, local processing, regulation and sustainable mining. Stakeholders have urged participants to turn their deliberations into practical recommendations and investment that support the mining industry while protecting host communities and the environment.

BOTTOM LINE

Nigeria can derive greater economic benefits from its mineral resources by expanding local processing, improving technical capacity and strengthening mining regulation. Stakeholders say these efforts must also protect host communities and ensure that mineral development supports broader economic growth.