The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has categorically dismissed claims by the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) that the Federal Government has sited a gold refinery in Lagos, violating the federal character principle.
The Ministry clarifies that the recently inaugurated high-purity gold refinery in Lagos is a privately owned initiative and not a project owned, established, or funded by the Federal Government.
In a statement addressing the allegations, the Ministry emphasized that Minister Dr. Dele Alake's recent announcements regarding reforms in Nigeria's solid minerals sector were misrepresented. "There was nowhere in the Minister's announcement that the Federal Government owned or established a gold refinery in Lagos or anywhere for that matter," the statement read.
The project is part of broader private sector efforts to enhance gold processing in the country, with three additional gold refineries currently underway and a $600 million lithium processing plant set for commissioning in Nasarawa State.
The Federal Government reaffirms its commitment to equitable development across all regions, noting significant gold deposits in states like Osun and Oyo in the Southwest, as well as in Northern regions. It urges stakeholders to verify information before making public claims that could foster unnecessary division.
The Ministry calls for continued collaboration with private investors to boost the solid minerals sector, which is vital for Nigeria's economic diversification and job creation.