- Minister of Solid Mineral Development, Dele Alake, highlighted solid minerals as Nigeria’s next petroleum source, especially in Nasarawa State
- The ministry aims to collaborate and efficiently harness these minerals for the benefit of Nigeria’s economy
Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Mineral Development, has identified solid minerals as Nigeria’s next petroleum source.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Nasarawa State governor’s media aide, Ali Abari, the minister said this when he met with the governor, Abdullahi Sule, at the Ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.
Alake explained that because Nasarawa State, known as the Home of Solid Minerals, was sitting on top of the country’s next petroleum, it had become critical for his ministry to collaborate and coordinate all the dynamics surrounding solid minerals operations for exploitation and prudent resource spending.
The minister informed the governor that ministry officials are currently putting mechanisms in place to ensure that Nigeria reaps the greatest benefit from these God-given minerals that are abundant in Nigeria.
A lot of high-grade quality minerals have been discovered in Nasarawa. The state is very significant in terms of the development of the minerals sector in Nigeria. Nigeria is very happy at that. Nasarawa State and the rest of the minerals areas of Nigeria will witness a swell development very shortly.
We are going to harness and utilise it efficiently, effectively and proficiently to ensure that Nigeria also expends the resources judiciously from solid minerals. That is the next petroleum of Nigeria. Nasarawa State is sitting on the next petroleum of Nigeria, he said.
On the other hand, the minister stated that the governor’s visit highlighted the importance of the anticipated synergy between the federal government and Nasarawa State.
Governor Sule had previously stated that the visit to the minister was critical because the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development is critical to the state.