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From Jude Chinedu, Enugu
The Enugu State government has announced major strides in the development of its solid minerals sector, unveiling extensive exploration efforts and regulatory reforms aimed at unlocking the state’s vast mineral resources and driving economic growth.
The Special Adviser to Governor Peter Mbah on Solid Minerals and Mining, Samuel Okoro, disclosed this on Wednesday during a press briefing at the Government House, Enugu.
Okoro said the government had carried out wide-ranging geological exploration across the state, including geospatial mapping and geochemical investigations, to accurately determine the quantity and quality of mineral deposits in different locations.
According to him, the initiative forms part of Governor Mbah’s broader strategy to revive dormant natural resources and convert them into productive assets capable of stimulating economic development.
“Exploration is the first phase of any mining activity. We carried out mapping, geospatial and geochemical activities to know exactly what we have across the state. When the Senate Committee came to Enugu, and we briefed them, they were very proud of what we have done and even said they would recommend our approach to other states,” he said.
Okoro noted that Enugu, historically recognised as Nigeria’s coal city, still possesses vast coal deposits capable of powering large-scale industrial and energy projects.
He explained that recent geological findings suggest that the state’s coal reserves are far larger than earlier estimates of about 300 million tonnes.
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The adviser added that the discovery strengthens the state’s plan to generate about 1,000 megawatts of electricity from coal as part of a long-term strategy to tackle energy shortages and support industrial growth.
“The governor has already made a policy statement that we are going to generate 1,000 megawatts of power from our coal. That is not just a political statement; it is a statement of purpose, and work towards it is already in the pipeline,” Okoro said.
He further revealed that the government had begun sanitising the mining ecosystem in the state, noting that more than 100 mineral titles were discovered, with less than one per cent actively being developed.
According to him, many of the licences were held by speculators who had no intention of carrying out mining activities, a situation that compelled the government to retrieve some of the titles and redirect them to genuine investors willing to develop the sector.
Okoro also disclosed that the state government had shut down more than 40 illegal mining operations across several locations, including CAMP 2, Akwukwe, Udenu and parts of Ozalla.
He added that some offenders had been arrested and prosecuted as part of efforts to restore order and ensure proper regulation of mining activities.
Okoro expressed confidence that, with the exploration groundwork already completed and reforms underway, the solid minerals sector would soon emerge as a major driver of economic growth and revenue generation in Enugu State.
