The Acting Secretary of Growth and Development of Northern Nigeria (GDNN), Haruna Buhari, has urged the government to adopt a more structured investment model for Nigeria’s mining sector and expedite the completion of the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) gas pipeline project.
Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, January 19, Buhari stressed the need for a robust approach to solid mineral exploration and development, likening it to the oil and gas sector’s framework. He stated:
“The GDNN recommends to the government that the solid minerals mining sector will benefit immensely from being subjected to the same investment model applied to the oil and gas industry. This includes generating comprehensive data on these minerals, charting mining blocks similar to Oil Prospecting Licences (OPL) and Oil Mining Leases (OML) across the country, and auctioning or exposing these blocks to joint ventures under the joint venture cash call model. Through this structured approach, we can introduce sanity to the sector and harness the wealth beneath our soil, which is beyond quantification.”
Buhari lamented the current “haphazard” state of the mining sector, describing it as an untapped goldmine that could diversify Nigeria’s economy beyond its dependence on oil and gas. He emphasised that only through an organised and well-regulated mining process could the country unlock the vast benefits within the sector.
On the issue of regional development, Buhari urged northern governors to collaborate on securing funds to complete the long-delayed Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano Pipeline (AKKP). He proposed innovative financing strategies to ensure the project’s completion:
“The GDNN calls on the governors of the north to syndicate a single loan facility through crowd funding. As collective stakeholders in the economic growth and development of the region, this initiative will provide the necessary resources to complete the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano-Katsina gas pipeline project, which is now essentially abandoned.”
The AKK pipeline, a vital component of the Trans Nigeria Gas Pipeline initiative, was designed to transport natural gas from Ajaokuta, Kogi State, to Kano, passing through various states and urban centres. Construction began in July 2020, but progress has since stalled, leaving the project in limbo.
Buhari’s remarks underline the GDNN’s focus on driving economic development in northern Nigeria through strategic investments in infrastructure and resource management, urging policymakers to prioritise these initiatives for the collective benefit of the nation.
