Vice President Kashim Shettima has announced that Nigeria’s mining sector has attracted more than $2.6 billion in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) within the last 30 months, crediting the inflows to ongoing reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Shettima made the disclosure in Abuja during the commissioning of the headquarters of Kursi Group, founded by Ambassador Abdulfatai Yahaya Seriki Gambari. He said the government’s policy direction has significantly improved investor confidence in the mining industry.
According to him, key reforms have focused on de-risking the sector and prioritising local value addition, with licensing now tied to mineral processing and beneficiation within Nigeria rather than the export of raw materials.
He stated that the administration is positioning Nigeria to become a hub for mineral refinement and industrial production, particularly in critical minerals such as lithium and gold, which are essential to global supply chains and the green energy transition.
Shettima emphasised that countries that achieve economic strength are those that successfully transform raw resources into finished products and industries that drive national development.
The Vice President also noted that the reforms are aimed at turning the mining sector into a major contributor to industrialisation, job creation, and foreign exchange earnings, while reducing reliance on raw commodity exports.
Following the commissioning ceremony, Shettima toured the Kursi Group facility alongside Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and other dignitaries.
The facility includes a mineral refining plant and a digital minerals tracking and marketing platform designed to improve transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the sector.
The event drew investors, traditional leaders, and industry stakeholders from across Nigeria, reflecting growing interest in the country’s evolving mining landscape under the current reform agenda.
