Deputy Speaker of Nigeria’s House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, has called on Australia to support Nigeria’s efforts to reform its mining sector and advance gender equality through constitutional amendments. Kalu made the appeal during a meeting in Abuja with Australian High Commissioner Leilani Bin-Juda on Wednesday.
Highlighting the untapped potential in Nigeria’s mining sector, Kalu said the country could benefit from Australia’s experience and best practices in sustainable mining. He noted that Nigeria is eager to attract foreign investment while ensuring that local communities benefit from resource extraction.
“Our goal is to create an enabling environment that attracts foreign investment while ensuring that local communities benefit from mining activities,” he said, adding that partnerships with Australian firms could promote job creation and economic development.
Kalu also sought support for gender-related constitutional amendments, particularly House Bill 1349, which proposes the reservation of legislative seats for women. He said the legislation aims to enhance women’s participation in governance and build a more equitable society.
Bin-Juda acknowledged Australia’s long-standing interest in Nigeria’s mining sector, revealing that a new mining-related project would soon be launched in collaboration with the Ministry of Mines and Steel.
“Our interest here in Nigeria ranges from mining, trade, investment and so on,” she said. “We are about to launch a project with the Minister of Mines and Steel in a couple of weeks.”
Kalu also met with Christophe Bazivamo, Rwanda’s ambassador to Nigeria, where discussions focused on fostering peace, stability, and legislative collaboration between the two countries. He proposed the formation of a Nigeria-Rwanda parliamentary friendship group and hailed Rwanda’s global leadership in women’s political representation.
“Your nation’s exemplary progress in gender representation — with women holding 63.75% of seats in the chamber of deputies and 53.8% in the senate — provides a valuable model for us to learn from,” Kalu said.
Bazivamo supported the idea of stronger legislative ties and noted that both countries could collaborate on legislative drafting, technology adoption in parliament, and democratic governance.
Nigeria continues to face serious challenges in regulating its mining sector, which remains largely unregulated and dominated by artisanal and illegal operators. A 2024 report from the House Committee on Solid Minerals Development revealed that Nigeria loses $9 billion annually to illegal mining activities, with as much as 80 percent of mining in the north-west being carried out unlawfully.
