FG refutes Northern Elders Forum claim on Lagos gold refinery
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has dismissed claims by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) suggesting that the federal government owns or established a gold refinery in Lagos, calling the allegation “completely false.”
In a statement responding to NEF’s remarks, signed by its spokesperson Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere, the ministry clarified that the Lagos gold refinery is a private initiative by Kian Smith, a fully privately owned mining company, aimed at boosting the local gold industry through innovative practices.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, had earlier announced the commissioning of the refinery and emphasised that it, along with other planned refineries, is privately owned by various companies across the country.
The ministry congratulated the founder and Managing Director of Kian Smith, Nere Emiko, for her perseverance in delivering the project, describing the refinery as a reflection of the government’s Value Addition policy.
Introduced two years ago, the policy discourages the export of raw minerals and promotes local processing, generating foreign investment and creating thousands of jobs. Examples cited include a $600 million lithium plant and a $400 million rare earth plant in Nasarawa State, as well as a $200 million ASBA lithium plant in Abuja.
The ministry criticised the NEF for what it described as a “debilitating degeneration in leadership” and a failure to conduct basic due diligence before making public statements.
It argued that private companies have the right to determine their operational strategies, including refinery locations, and called on NEF to support national efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s self-reliant economy.
“The ministry will continue to encourage private mining companies to establish processing and manufacturing plants across the country,” the statement concluded, urging the Northern Elders Forum to join efforts to build a stronger economy under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
