By Kingsley Okoye
The Minister of Environment, Malam Abubakar Lawal, says there is a need for environmentally friendly and sustainable investment in Nigeria’s critical minerals sector.
Lawal made this submission in Abuja at a stakeholders conference on green industrialisation.
The conference was organised by the Africa Policy Research Institute (APRI) in partnership with National Council on Climate Change and the Ford Foundation.
The event, with the theme “Advancing Nigeria’s Green Industrialisation through Critical Minerals”, brought together stakeholders from government, industry, academia, development institutions, and communities.
The minister, represented by Dr Iniobong Abiola-Awe, Director of Climate at the ministry, said that Nigeria was entering a defining period in its economic and environmental history.
The minister said the event was driven by unprecedented global demand for critical minerals as the world transitioned to clean energy and low-carbon technologies.
According to him, critical minerals are no longer just commodities but strategic assets for green industrialisation.
He said there was need for Nigeria to use its resources as a foundation for sustainable industrialisation, domestic value addition, job creation, technology development and inclusive growth.
According to him, Nigeria’s critical minerals agenda must avoid a repeat of exporting raw materials and importing finished products.
He said green industrialisation must not be pursued at the expense of environmental degradation.
Lawal said Nigeria welcomed critical minerals investment, but such investment must be responsible, sustainable and aligned with national development and environmental objectives.
He said Nigeria should attract investors ready to contribute capital, technology, skills, innovation, local value addition and high environmental and social standards.
The minister emphasised that economic development and environmental protection are not competing objectives but must advance together.
Lawal said the ministry was committed to ensuring that expansion in critical mineral development was guided by strong environmental governance.
He cited the Environmental Impact Assessment Act of 2024, which provides for environmental standards, pollution control, biodiversity safeguards, mining rehabilitation and compliance monitoring for projects in the sector.
Lawal said environmental and social impact assessment should be seen as a planning instrument to help government and investors identify risks, avoid impacts, improve project designs and ensure sustainability across the project lifecycle.
“The government will continue to strengthen environmental monitoring, compliance and enforcement, while promoting responsible mining practices, resource efficiency and rehabilitation of degraded lands.’’
The minister said environmental governance must be integrated into Nigeria’s critical mineral agenda from exploration, extraction and processing through transportation, manufacturing, recycling and mine closure.
He said that Nigeria’s emerging critical minerals investment agenda must align with national climate goals, with green finance and sustainability criteria.
“The investment agenda should also include pollution prevention, resource efficiency, climate mitigation and resilience, biodiversity protection and social safeguards,’’ he said.
Lawal assured that the ministry remained committed to working with relevant stakeholders to build a critical mineral economy that is environmentally responsible, economically transformative, socially inclusive and nationally beneficial.
The conference also featured panel sessions with expert presentations.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Chijioke Okoronkwo