FG Dismisses NEF Claim on Lagos Gold Refinery, Says Project Is Privately Owned, Not Government Initiative
By Oludare Joshua
The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has dismissed claims by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the Federal Government is planning to site a gold refinery in Lagos, describing the allegation as false, misleading and without factual basis, Eyes of Lagos reports.
The NEF, in a statement signed by its spokesperson, Prof. Abubakar Jiddere, had alleged that the proposed location of a gold refinery in Lagos violated the federal character principle, implying direct Federal Government involvement in the project.
Reacting to the allegation in a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja, the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Segun Tomori, faulted the position of the Northern elders, stressing that the Federal Government neither owns nor established any gold refinery in Lagos or elsewhere in the country.
Tomori clarified that the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, never announced the establishment of a government-owned gold refinery in Lagos, noting that the claim was a misrepresentation of facts.
According to him, the refinery referenced by the NEF is a purely private initiative by Kian Smith, a privately owned mining and processing company.
“At no point did Dr Dele Alake state that the Federal Government owns or established a gold refinery in Lagos,” Tomori said.
“The refinery in question is a private-sector investment, and the government has no authority to dictate to a private investor where to locate its business.”
He further explained that the minister had consistently stated that several gold refineries are currently under development across different parts of the country, all driven by private investors and not the Federal Government.
FG Explains Value-Addition Policy
Tomori noted that the Lagos-based gold refinery aligns with the Federal Government’s value-addition policy in the solid minerals sector, which seeks to curb the export of raw minerals while promoting local processing, refining and manufacturing.
He described the refinery as an initiative of Kian Smith, led by its founder and Managing Director, Ms Nere Emiko, and commended her resilience and leadership in delivering what he described as a landmark private-sector project.
“The Federal Government recognises and appreciates the perseverance and enterprise of the company’s leadership in bringing a flagship project of this scale to fruition,” he added.
The ministry also highlighted other major private-sector investments stimulated by recent reforms in the solid minerals sector. These include a $600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa State, a $400 million rare earth minerals processing facility also in Nasarawa, and a $200 million ASBA lithium plant in Abuja.
According to Tomori, the projects have attracted substantial foreign direct investment, generated thousands of jobs and strengthened Nigeria’s non-oil revenue base.
He stated that reforms introduced by the ministry over the past two years have created an enabling environment for private-sector participation in mining, adding that projects such as the Lagos gold refinery are evidence of the positive impact of those reforms.
Tomori urged the Northern Elders Forum to support the ongoing efforts of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to diversify the economy and promote national self-reliance.
“The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development will continue to encourage mining companies to establish processing and manufacturing plants across Nigeria,” he said.
“We call on the NEF to partner with the Federal Government in building a stronger, more self-reliant economy that serves the interests of all Nigerians.”
