FG targets 500,000 jobs in solid minerals, moves to cut imports by 2027

The federal government has announced plans to create 500,000 direct jobs in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector and reduce reliance on mineral imports as part of efforts to boost industrialisation and economic diversification.

In a post on Thursday via its X (formerly Twitter) account, the Federal Ministry of Mines and Steel Development highlighted Nigeria’s vast but underutilised mineral resources, noting that the country holds significant deposits of gold, lithium, tin, zinc, coal, and iron ore.

“Nigeria has more untapped mineral wealth than oil ever gave us… Yet we still import what we can mine ourselves,” the ministry stated.

It added that the government is shifting focus from rhetoric to measurable outcomes in the sector.

“The Federal Ministry of Mines & Steel is done with excuses. By 2027, we will create 500,000 direct jobs in solid minerals, stop billions in mineral imports, and make Nigeria a top-10 global steel producer again,” the statement read.

According to the ministry, the plan is part of a broader push to reposition the mining sector as a major contributor to the economy, moving Nigeria beyond its long-standing dependence on oil revenues.

“The era of ‘potential’ is over. This is the era of production,” the ministry added, calling on stakeholders and investors to key into the transformation agenda.

Nigeria possesses over 44 distinct solid minerals, including gold, coal, iron ore, bitumen, and lithium, located across all 36 states and the FCT. Despite vast reserves valued over $700 billion, the sector is underdeveloped, contributing less than 1% to GDP as of 2023.