By Muhammad Mamman
Kaduna State has taken centre stage at the 2025 G-20 Summit, with Governor Senator Uba Sani unveiling an ambitious blueprint titled “Unlocking Kaduna’s Green Minerals Future” and positioning the northern Nigerian state as the country’s next major mining and industrial powerhouse.
Speaking at the International Investment Forum for Solid Minerals, Governor Sani revealed that Kaduna is home to 23 commercially viable mineral deposits and has already secured over $2.1 billion in committed investments from top global mining firms. He attributed this to the state’s deliberate focus on value addition, local processing, and strong public–private partnerships.
In a major step forward, the Kaduna Mining Development Company (KMDC) signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with international partners. These agreements cover advanced mineral mapping, project financing, gold refining and processing, as well as deeper integration into continental mining value chains.
The deals are expected to unlock up to $3 billion in new investments within the next two years, generate at least 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, and lift tens of thousands of households out of poverty through mining-linked economic opportunities.
“Kaduna is open for responsible, transparent, and sustainable mining business,” Governor Sani said. “We are moving beyond mere extraction to processing and value addition, ensuring our people and communities benefit directly from the wealth beneath our soil.”
He praised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s ongoing economic reforms, noting that they have restored investor confidence and enabled states like Kaduna to compete more aggressively for global capital.
The Governor also called for deeper collaboration between Nigeria and South Africa in the mining sector, urging both nations to accelerate the implementation of AfCFTA protocols on minerals and critical raw materials.
With confirmed deposits of lithium, gold, nickel, and other green-energy minerals, Governor Sani said Kaduna is strategically positioning itself at the heart of the global energy-transition supply chain at a time of surging demand for battery and renewable-energy metals.
