Introduction
Following the close of 2024, when we reported bold steps towards sanitising and revitalising Nigeria’s mining sector, 2025 opened with even more determined activity. In our 2024 End-of-Year Report, we identified regulatory overhauls, strategic investments in lithium and gold, and a renewed focus on host community engagement. This mid-year report continues the narrative from December 2024 to June 2025, reflecting a sector in transition, one that is striving to deliver on its long-promised potential through structural reforms, targeted funding, digital innovation, and increased investor confidence.
Reaffirming the 2016 Mining Roadmap and Beyond
The implementation of the 2016 Mining Roadmap remains the benchmark against which sectoral growth is measured. However, as highlighted in our 2024 End of Year Report, Nigeria is now in the long-term phase of the Roadmap (5–10 years). Unfortunately, key deliverables from the earlier phases, including full legal reform, infrastructure expansion, and robust geoscience data generation, remain largely unmet. Still, several actions since January 2025 suggest the Federal Government is finally making strides toward aligning with the original Roadmap. The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, led by Dr. Dele Alake, continues to drive reforms under the renewed seven-point agenda. Emphasis remains on restructuring governance, boosting investment, strengthening data systems, and enforcing compliance.
Key Activities from December 2024 to June 2025
The Nigerian mining sector has witnessed a flurry of strategic developments since our last report, reflecting the government’s ongoing commitment to reposition the industry as a pillar of national economic transformation. Key activities within this period underscore renewed international cooperation, landmark agreements, and bold institutional reforms, each reinforcing Nigeria’s drive toward a more diversified, investment-ready, and sustainable mining ecosystem.
