There’s probably no more auspicious time to beam a searchlight on the efforts of Dr. Dele Alake than this Democracy Day, 26 years after Nigeria’s return to civil rule. As one of the unsung heroes of June 12, a journalist-turned-democracy advocate who stood on the frontlines of Nigeria’s political rebirth, Alake’s current mission in the Ministry of Solid Minerals is nothing short of poetic justice: rebuilding a nation’s economy—this time not with headlines, but with hard rock.

Before now, the Nigerian solid minerals sector was like an old pickaxe: full of potential but rusty with underuse. In 2023, it raked in a paltry ₦6 billion—barely enough to fund a flyover in a medium-sized city. Fast-forward to 2024, and that figure has skyrocketed to ₦38 billion. That’s not just a bounce; that’s a mining miracle. And behind this turnaround is one man: Dr. Dele Alake, the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development.

Appointed in 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Dr. Alake didn’t come to warm the ministerial seat; he came with a drill and a blueprint. And with a background in information strategy and governance that stretches back decades, he’s not just talking rocks—he’s making them roll.

One of Alake’s first acts was tightening the licensing process. No more “paper miners” with no real interest in Nigeria beyond digging and dashing. Now, a mining licence isn’t handed out like party flyers. It comes with homework: a clear plan for local processing. Exporting raw minerals may have been the norm, but Alake called time on that economic leak. The message was clear—add value at home or don’t bother applying. And the investors heard him.

Dr. Dele Alake at the launch of a training programme for Nigerian mining professionals at Murdoch University in Australia

In 2023 alone, Nigeria recorded over $800 million in processing investments. That includes a $600 million lithium processing plant near Kaduna and Niger—a game-changer for the electric vehicle economy—and a $200 million refinery near Abuja, soon to be followed by two more plants in Nasarawa. This isn’t just mining; it’s economic fertilisation.

Alake also zeroed in on exploration—or rather, the lack of it. Before his tenure, Nigeria was spending just $2 million a year on exploration. To put that in perspective, Côte d’Ivoire was at $148 million, and South Africa at over $300 million. In the global minerals game, we were barely on the map.

Alake took a sledgehammer to that trend.

Under his leadership, Nigeria has now secured ₦1 trillion specifically for mineral exploration. That’s not pocket change—that’s seismic reform. It means real geological data, credible terrain maps, and a foundation that can attract serious global investors instead of speculative cowboys.

From Cartel to Cooperative

Illegal mining, once the Wild West of Nigeria’s mineral landscape, is now facing a sheriff with handcuffs. In 2024 alone, over 300 arrests were made. 150 prosecutions are ongoing, with multiple convictions already secured—including some foreign nationals who may have thought Nigeria was asleep at the wheel.

But the strategy isn’t all stick; there’s carrot, too. Alake’s ministry has supported the formalisation of over 250 mining cooperatives. This means small-scale miners can now access finance, operate legally, and even share in the revenue pie—rather than hiding in the shadows of the extractive economy.

Dr. Dele Alake speaks on plans to review mining license rates to boost sector capacity ( May, 2024)

Nigeria Goes Continental

In a bold geopolitical move, Nigeria now chairs the African Mineral Strategy Group, a continental bloc pushing for local value addition and fairer trade. The symbolism is clear: Nigeria is no longer content to be the back-office of global mining—it wants a seat at the head table.

And the world is paying attention.

Just this quarter, the Mining Cadastral Office received over 10,000 mining applications. That’s not a ripple; that’s a wave of investor confidence. It’s the sound of reforms echoing through boardrooms from Lagos to London.

A Vision Worth Its Weight

Dr. Alake isn’t just crunching rocks—he’s changing narratives. Where there was drift, there is now direction. Where there was leakage, there is now legislation. And where there was stagnation, there is now strategy.

Nigeria’s mining sector isn’t merely being revived; it’s being reforged into a 21st-century powerhouse. The figures don’t lie: ₦6 billion to ₦38 billion. $800 million in local processing. ₦1 trillion for exploration. Arrests made, convictions secured, cooperatives formed, and lithium humming in Kaduna.

As Alake himself puts it, “We’ve still got work to do, but the direction is clear.”

If Nigeria plays its cards right—and keeps the reform engine roaring—we might just look back at 2023–2024 as the year Nigeria stopped watching other nations mine their riches and started mining its own potential.

And if there’s a gold medal for political will and reform in the extractive sector, someone get Dr. Alake a podium. He’s earned it.

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