The Northern Elders Forum has called on the Federal Government to prioritise the development of the mining sector in northern Nigeria, describing it as a catalyst for industrial growth, job creation, and poverty reduction.
Speaking at the maiden edition of the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit 2025 in Abuja, the NEF Chairman, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, stressed mining remained one of the region’s most underutilised assets despite its vast mineral endowments.
Abdullahi said the summit, themed “Unlocking Northern Nigeria’s Mining, Agricultural and Power Potentials (MAP2035),” was not just a discussion forum but a 10-year blueprint for transformation.
“Imagine the multiplier effect — industrial growth, job creation, poverty reduction, and renewed prosperity for our people — if mining is properly harnessed, linked to value chains, and supported by strong infrastructure,” he said.
The NEF chairman noted that while agriculture and rail networks had historically formed the backbone of the North’s economy, the region’s mineral wealth offered equally significant opportunities if backed by deliberate government policy.
He explained that Northern Nigeria is rich in solid minerals, fertile land, and human capital but continues to suffer from inadequate infrastructure such as railways, roads, power, and storage facilities that limit the full exploitation of its resources.
Abdullahi added that the elders strongly believed government policies would only deliver meaningful impact if they gave clear priority to mining and its associated industries.
The forum also situated its call within the historical background of industrialisation in the North. In the 1960s, cotton, groundnuts, and tobacco drove the economy, while the 1970s oil boom spurred investments that turned Kano and Kaduna into industrial hubs for textiles, leather goods, and food processing. By the 1980s, efforts extended into cement production and steel rolling, though poor infrastructure, corruption, and inconsistent policies slowed momentum.
