By Martha Agas

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has announced the Federal Government’s support for the construction of a plant in Nasarawa State.

Alake, through his Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, said the plant was projected to generate more than 10,000 jobs nationwide, adding that it has a projection of 400million dollars in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

According to him, the project is Africa’s largest rare earth and critical minerals plan, which will be funded by a private organisation, Hasetins Commodities Limited.

The minister lauded the funders for the move, noting that it aligns with the value addition campaign of President Bola Tinubu’s administration for in-country processing and beneficiation of minerals.

He said that the move was also a confirmation of the capacity of adopting mineral processing as a strategy in creating job opportunities.

“Hasetins hopes to add 12,000 metric tonnes to its current 6,000 metric tonnes installed capacity as preparations for the forthcoming groundbreaking of the additional facility gathers momentum,” he said.

He described the move as a significant milestone in efforts to spur investor confidence in the mining sector.

He said that the firm would promote skills transfer and boost the contributions of the solid minerals sector to the economy.

“I applaud the company for its strategic foresight and patriotic investment in a 400 million dollars rare earth metals plant,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the management of Hasetins, in a recent statement, said that the company’s model was adopting early-stage beneficiation for the plant.

This is by pre-separating metals locally, generating immediate income for artisanal miners alongside training, provision of protective equipment and broader community engagement.

Hasetins Commodities Ltd specialises in producing critical metals essential for high-tech applications and defence systems, including rare earth metals and Platinum Group Metals (PGMs). (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Kadiri Abdulrahman

By Okeoghene Akubuike

Sen. Bassey Otu of Cross River and his Ondo State counterpart, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, have underscored the potential of Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs) in driving growth and addressing development challenges.

Mr Ifeanyi Nwoko, Acting Head of Media and Publicity, Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission (ICRC) on Saturday, said the governors said this at the 2025 Nigeria Public-Private Partnership Summit in Abuja.

According to the governors, PPPs offer a viable solution to bridging infrastructure gaps, enhancing service delivery, and stimulating economic growth, thereby improving the lives of citizens and fostering sustainable development.

The panel session titled “Leveraging PPPs for Infrastructure Delivery in Nigeria: Opportunities and Potentials” was moderated by Nnanna Anyim-Ude of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG).

In his intervention, Otu highlighted the vast potential of PPPs in addressing Nigeria’s infrastructure deficit.

According to him, PPPs can attract private sector investment, expertise, and efficiency to deliver critical infrastructure projects, drive economic growth, and improve the quality of life for Nigerians.

Speaking on the 3.5 billion dollars Bakassi Deep Seaport, Otu highlighted the need for the project, citing increasing port congestion and Nigeria’s aspiration to become a trans-shipment hub for sub-Saharan Africa.

“The development of the Bakassi Deep Seaport is imperative to increase port capacity in the country and ease the pressure on existing ports.

“Most of the subnationals we have today are doing their very best to key into different sectors, taking their complementary advantage into consideration,” he said.

On his part, Aiyedatiwa listed the immense benefits of PPPs to include infrastructure development, increased efficiency, job creation, economic growth and capacity building.

On the Ondo Seaport, the governor said the 1.3 billion dollar multipurpose project would transform the state’s economy, create thousands of jobs, and attract investments.

He added that it would also serve as a catalyst for industrialisation and economic growth in the region.

Aiyedatiwa said this would increase the state’s revenue base and improve the standard of living for its citizens.

He said his administration recognised the potential of PPPs in driving growth and addressing development challenges, with a focus on enhancing public service delivery, and remained committed to fostering and expanding these collaborations.

“For us, we have moved past so many stages. We just need a few technical amendments between the ICRC and the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy.

“As I am sitting here, I have letters of invitation to go visit two of our investors who are keenly ready to move in as soon as that area is amended.

“We are ready. I believe our own deep-sea port is a unique one. The modern vessels require a depth of about 16.5 metres; we have a natural 18 metres already without being dredged.

“But the beauty of it is that we still need more ports in Nigeria. In fact, every state even needs more than one port just like we have in Lagos with Apapa, Tin Can, Lekki Deep Sea Ports, yet we are having congestion.

“It is not just about vessels bringing in products only. We have a lot of products that we are to ship out of Nigeria. Do not forget that Ondo is a leading cocoa-producing state in Nigeria,” he noted.

Nwoko said in another panel session titled, “Innovative Financing in Delivering Successful PPPs”, moderated by Dimeji Salaudeen of KPMG, experts shared insights on risk management and funding options.

He said the session also shared ideas on best practices to attract investments and deliver impactful infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

Tony Edeh, Group CEO, Norrenberger Assets Management Limited, pointed out that there were alternative liquidity and capital accessibility for financing infrastructure.

“As private sector players, our role is to innovate instruments that fit Nigerians’ lifestyle and unlock that liquidity, he said.

Also, Alexandre Leigh, Global Sector Lead Airports, Transaction Advisory Services, International Finance Corporation (IFC), argued that the challenge did not lie in securing funding, but in finding projects that were properly planned and prepared for investment.

“One frustrating part of my job is getting calls from investors and developers looking for projects to invest in.

“In my view, there is no lack of financing, but rather a lack of well-prepared projects,” he stated.

Nwoko said the PPP Summit was convened by Dr Jobson  Ewalefoh, Director-General of ICRC, with President Bola Tinubu as chief host.

The conference, with the theme “Unlocking Nigeria’s Potential: The Role of Public-Private Partnerships in Delivering the Renewed Hope Agenda”, brought together policymakers, investors, and industry leaders within and outside the country.

He said it was part of a broader effort by the Tinubu administration to address Nigeria’s 2.3 trillion dollar infrastructure deficit by utilising private capital and expertise for inclusive and sustainable development across all sectors. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Vivian Ihechu

By Okeoghene Akubuike

Dr Adebowale Adedokun, Director-General (D-G) of the Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP), has urged procurement officers in Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) to strictly adhere to established procurement principles.

Edited by Abiemwense Moru

By Grace Alegba

Mr Michael Ikpoki, Chief Exevutive Officer (CEO) of Africa Context Advisory Partners, says improved productivity across the continent can add $1.4 trillion to Africa’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Ikpoki, a former CEO of MTN Ghana and MTN Nigeria, said this at the Premium Times Employability Summit 2025 in Lagos.

The event, with the theme, “Converting Nigeria’s Demography into Assets”, was organised in partnership with Seven-Up Bottling Company.

Ikpoki urged leaders and managers to harness the cross-generational potential of Nigeria’s workforce and local businesses to drive greater productivity.

On the 2023 report, he noted that productivity across African sectors continued to be hampered by power and infrastructure deficits.

“To achieve the level of productivity and employability we need, we must harness cross-generational benefits,” he said.

According to him, employment is not merely about job creation but about the economic value generated through those jobs.

“It’s the productivity of workers and businesses that translates into GDP. As we create more quality jobs, and as more people perform better in their roles, creating value, companies grow.

“SMEs grow, individuals prosper. cumulatively, the economy expands. Productivity is key,” he explained.

Ikpoki also spoke on the importance of understanding generational dynamics.

He outlined the distinct attributes of four generations, from the 1950s to millennials, and how effective collaboration across age groups could boost workplace output.

“If we can improve productivity, we can potentially add about $1.4 trillion to Africa’s GDP. Currently, Africa’s GDP is around $2.8 trillion to $2.9 trillion,” he said.

He emphasised that enhanced productivity would support industrial expansion, intercontinental trade, and economic diversification, especially when driven by digital transformation.

“From an African standpoint, accelerating productivity requires accelerating digitisation,” Ikpoki added.

He stressed the urgent need to grow larger indigenous companies in Nigeria, which would stimulate the economy through extended value chains and expanded employment opportunities.

“We need to build bigger companies within our environment. Interestingly, Africa has about 345 companies with annual revenues exceeding one billion dollars. Roughly 66 per cent of these are home-grown. However, over 40 per cent are in South Africa, while only 7 per cent are in Nigeria,” he said.

Highlighting the economic importance of productivity, he noted that Nigeria’s GDP per capita has dropped from about $2,200 a decade ago to less than 900 dollars today.

Ikpoki said,“It boils down to the kind of environments and workplace cultures we build to get the best out of people.

“For us to achieve the productivity and employability we need, we must embrace these cross-generational opportunities.

“The key question for leaders and managers is: how do we do this constructively?”

Earlier in his opening remarks, Mr Oladeinde Olawoyin, Business, Energy and Economy Editor, Premium Times, thanked Seven-Up Bottling Company for sponsoring the summit.

He described the summit as a vital platform for addressing one of Nigeria’s most urgent challenges: youth employability.

“With a young and rapidly growing population, Nigeria stands at a crossroads. We must urgently convert our demographic strength into productive, inclusive economic assets,” Olawoyin said.

Panelists at the event discussed strategies for unlocking opportunities in the Creative Economy, Artificial Intelligence, Agriculture, and other underexplored sectors for youth employment.

Another panel session addressed the theme, “Cross-Generational Workforce and Its Effects on Productivity”, offering insights into how Nigeria could harmonise its diverse workforce for greater economic output.

The summit ended with calls to action for stakeholders to reimagine the future of work and take bold, coordinated steps toward building a resilient, inclusive, and opportunity-rich Nigerian economy. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

Edited by Remi Koleoso/Olawunmi Ashafa