WorldStage Newsonline– The Federal Government of Nigeria has restated commitment to upscale the nation’s solid minerals industrialisation process and value addition.
The Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake disclosed this at the 10th Nigeria Energy Forum (NEF) Conference and Exhibition with the theme; “Decade of Energy Transition for Economic Prosperity” held in Lagos.
Alake, represented by Dr Obadiah Nkom, the Director-General, Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, said Nigeria’s mineral endowment was vast, yet its economic impact on the nation remained limited.
“This conference is a strategic step to reposition the sector for sustainable growth and in alignment with our National priorities under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu -led administration.
“The government is prioritising policies that will attract investments in mineral processing plants, refinery projects, and finished goods production within Nigeria.
“This approach will create jobs for millions of Nigerians, build local capacity, and position Nigeria as a competitive hub for critical minerals and mineral-based products in Africa,” he said.
Omatsola Ogbe, the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), said part of the the objectives of the board was to promote and enforce development of indigenous capabilities in the Nigerian oil and gas industry.
Ogbe was represented by Mr Naboth Onyesoh, the Director of Legal Services, NCDMB.
“This involves encouraging local manufacturing, technology transfer, human capital development, and the utilisation of locally produced goods and services,” he said,
Mr Seye Bassir, Investment Director, AII On, said the Federal Government had policies on the energy transition and climate change.
‘What they need to do is to coordinate better and maybe consolidate all of those efforts into the right kind of instrument,” he said
Ms Marit Kitaw, the Economic Affairs Officer, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) said key constraints to green mineral industrialisation include limited infrastructure and energy access for processing.
Mr Michael Oluwagbemi, the Programme Director, Presidential Compress Natural Gas Initiative (PCNGi) said the initiative supported the establishment of 1,000 auto-gas conversion workshop by 2027 nationwide.
The director said the aim was to convert 250,000 vehicles annually, creating 250,000 jobs and support training of 25,000 technicians.
In his remarks, Dr Daniel Adeuyi, the Chairman, NEF, said the 2025 NEF theme, followed successful engagement of more than eight thousand global stakeholders and facilitation of 70 million dollars financing and facility for clean energy projects.
According to him, this has demonstrated NEF’s capacity to transform convening to capital.
“That is why NEF 2025 focused on practical action.
“It will mobilise multi million dollars investments for green mineral industrialisation and value addition supported by UNECA,” he said.
Mr Adekunle Makinde, the NEF 2025 Co-chair said the activities of the Forum had been able to lift people out of energy poverty in so many areas.
“Quite a number of young people are now employers of labour, through the activities of the Forum have made a lot of impacts, even in the academia, industry, there have been a lot of synergies here and there,” he said
Ibironke Olubamise, the National Coordinator for GEF-SGP UNDP in Nigeria, highlighted the success story of addressing environmental challenges in remote communities by working with NGOs and CBOs.
The conference showcased impact project video documentaries GEF-SGP UNDP projects for powering potable water purification in Makoko Lagos State.
Other projects highlighted youth-led digital innovations that repurpose plastic waste in Abuja, and decarbonising Shea Butter agro-processing in Nassarawa, using LPG cooking solutions to displace felling of Shea trees for fuel wood.
NEF in conjunction with All On, an impact investment firm, spotlighted and awarded grants to tertiary institutions student-led energy innovations (TIEC3.0).
TIEC3.0 attracted 93 energy innovation pitch decks from teams comprising more than 400 students and gathered innovations from across 35 institutions during the 2025 edition of the Forum.
Top 3 Winners were awarded grand Prizes to upscale their project ideas.
First Prize of N2 mullion was awarded to Green Preserve, led by Febechi Uzomadike, a 100-level student of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Cross River State.
