From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
Governor Uba Sani is repositioning Kaduna’s solid minerals sector to boost revenue, create jobs, and curb illegal mining by attracting foreign investors, according to Alhaji Abubakar Buba, Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources. He spoke at a quarterly ministerial press briefing at Sir Kashim Ibrahim House.
Buba revealed that the state has engaged Core International Marketing and Management Ltd to develop a mining development roadmap. He noted that the sector generated ₦30 million in the last two quarters of 2024, with higher projections for this year.
The commissioner noted the establishment of Nigeria’s first lithium processing plant in Kangimi village along the Kaduna-Jos road. “The plant has a capacity of producing more than 30,000 tonnes of lithium per day,” he said. Kaduna boasts over 70 solid minerals, including lithium, gold, tin, coltan, wolframite, titanium, and iron, with the Kaduna Mining Development Company acquiring 18 additional mineral titles.
Buba reported a significant reduction in illegal mining due to improved surveillance and the governor’s innovative approach. “Out of the governor’s magnanimity, he graciously agreed that we should form cooperative societies of these illegal miners so that, at the end of the day, they will still be useful to society,” he stated. “They will serve as the foot soldiers for any investor that is coming because they are the indigenes, and they know the terrain better than each and every one of us.”
On environmental efforts, Buba said Kaduna is the first Nigerian sub-national to develop both a state policy on climate change and a position statement. “A lot of states have done the policy document, but Kaduna State is the first to come out with the two,” he noted.
The state trained and empowered 500 youths and women in briquette production with the Kaduna Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) project. “In this part of the world, our people normally use firewood as a source of energy for cooking. We thought that before we ban the use of firewood for cooking and charcoal making, we need to provide an alternative to the people,” Buba said. He added, “Briquettes can serve as a source of energy for our women and children for cooking without necessarily burning down our trees because the trees serve as a carbon shield for humanity.”
In collaboration with the Women’s Initiative on Sustainable Environment (WISE), the government distributed clean cooking stoves to 400 women and youths. “This will help in reducing the emission of smoke that goes to the atmosphere, which equally distorts the ozone layer and exposes humanity to more risk,” Buba noted.
He praised Governor Sani for securing Kaduna’s inclusion in the Hydroelectric Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC). “Last year, Kaduna State was rated as the cleanest city in northwestern Nigeria. This is one of the achievements that we hope to sustain. This year, we hope to be the cleanest state in Nigeria; that is our target,” he said.