NEF Calls on 500 Northern Mineral Sites to Drive National Infrastructure Growth

The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has urged urgent action on over 500 mineral sites across northern Nigeria, highlighting the region’s potential to significantly advance the country’s infrastructural and economic development.

At a press conference in Abuja ahead of the Northern Nigeria Investment and Industrialisation Summit, NEF spokesperson Prof. Abubakar Jiddere emphasized that northern Nigeria is endowed with 44 mineral resources across more than 500 locations, yet these remain largely untapped.

Prof. Jiddere outlined five pillars for the North’s revival: agriculture, solid minerals, human resources, infrastructure, and industrial development. He stressed that the region’s vast arable lands, abundant minerals, dynamic youth population, and existing infrastructure including roads, railways, airports, dams, and energy potential present a unique opportunity to drive nationwide growth.

Reflecting on the region’s historical contributions, he noted that agriculture and industry once powered Nigeria’s economy, with cotton, groundnuts, livestock, and solid minerals fueling industrial expansion. However, insecurity, underinvestment, and inconsistent policies have hindered progress in recent decades.

Jiddere highlighted that Northern Nigeria’s strategic position as a land-linked region connecting to Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin, Mali, and the Central African Republic provides enormous potential for regional trade, industrial growth, and infrastructure-led development.

With the upcoming summit, the NEF aims to chart a roadmap for industrial renewal, leveraging mineral resources and infrastructure development to transform northern Nigeria into a hub for investment, production, and national growth.