Kaduna unveils $150m Green Mining Fund at G20, taps Core International for 2026 rollout

From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja

Kaduna State stormed the global stage at the weekend, launching a massive $150 million Green Mining Investment Fund on the sidelines of the historic first-ever African G20 Summit and immediately handing international advisory firm Core International a tough mandate: Get the Fund structured, capitalised, and fully ready to deploy by the end of Q1 2026.

The signing ceremony—witnessed by Governor Uba Sani, the Executive Secretary of the NIPC, and the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development—signals Kaduna’s bold push to become Nigeria’s top destination for clean-energy mineral investment.

The Fund targets Nigeria’s biggest mining bottleneck: early-stage, risk-tolerant financing. It is a private-sector-driven vehicle designed to co-fund exploration drilling and project preparation for Kaduna’s high-value minerals—Lithium, Rare Earth Elements, and Gold—all vital to the global energy transition.

Choosing Johannesburg for the signing was no coincidence. With G20 leaders focusing heavily on critical minerals and sustainable development, Kaduna used the moment to plant a flag: Nigeria is ready to compete in the global minerals race.

KMDC Managing Director, Engr. Shuaibu Kabir Bello, said the initiative marks a turning point: “This Fund is the mechanism that moves Kaduna from potential to real value. We’re not just inviting investors, we’re sharing the exploration risk. This is the new investment standard for Nigeria.”

Core International’s Managing Partner, Suleiman Zakari, said the partnership sends a clear message to global financiers:

“Our mission is simple—build a world-class Fund that deploys capital transparently and de-risks Kaduna’s exploration assets. This is a secure bridge for global capital.”

The Fund is the final pillar of Governor Uba Sani’s State Exploration Acceleration Programme, which includes comprehensive geodata, upgraded infrastructure, and now a co-financing platform that meets global investment expectations.

With these pieces falling into place, Kaduna is positioning itself as Nigeria’s most exploration-ready, investor-friendly mining jurisdiction—and a rising star in the global critical minerals space.