From Celestine Ihejirika, Jalingo
The Federal Government has urged investors to explore Taraba State’s mineral resources and support the state’s drive to become a major mining destination.
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Henry Alake stated this in Jalingo during a two-day program for solid minerals investment roundtable 2026.
Dr. Alake said Taraba’s mineral potential could only translate into investment when backed by credible geological data, infrastructure, security, value addition and benefits for host communities.
Taraba state Government has organized its first ever Solid Mineral Investment roundtable as part of measures to ensure safe and beneficial exploration of the state’s solid minerals.
The Minister said the Federal Government was ready to support Taraba in turning its mineral resources into bankable investment opportunities capable of creating jobs, industries and sustainable revenue.
He commended Governor Agbu Kefas for convening the roundtable, describing it as an important step towards attracting private capital and diversifying the state and national economy.
Dr. Alake said Nigeria must reduce its dependence on petroleum and build an economy driven by production, industrialisation and responsible exploitation of its mineral resources.
He noted that growing global demand for minerals used in advanced manufacturing, digital infrastructure and the energy transition had created new opportunities for the mining sector.
The Minister explained that serious investors would require geological mapping, exploration, drilling, resource definition and environmental and social assessments before committing funds to mining projects.
Dr. Alake therefore urged the Taraba State Government to develop a focused pipeline of well-researched mineral projects that could be matched with investors possessing the necessary technical and financial capacity.
He commended the state government’s efforts to improve security, saying this had strengthened Taraba’s prospects as an investment destination.
The Minister also encouraged investors to look beyond the extraction of raw minerals and explore local processing and value addition to create industries around the state’s mineral resources.
Speaking at the roundtable meeting Governor Agbu Kefas said his administration will ensure that mining activities benefit host communities, create jobs for young people and generate sustainable revenue for the state.
Governor Agbu Kefas said his administration would ensure that mining activities translate into tangible benefits for host communities, create employment opportunities for young people and generate sustainable revenue for the state.
The Governor stressed that the roundtable must lead to concrete investments rather than end as another gathering.
He said Taraba was moving from unregulated and informal mining to properly licensed and responsible mining, with emphasis on security, environmental protection, local processing and value addition.
Governor Kefas directed relevant ministries, departments and agencies to establish a Taraba Solid Minerals Investment Facilitation Desk to serve as a one-stop platform for coordinating investors, government agencies and host communities.
The desk, he said, would coordinate geological information, land access, business support, security, infrastructure and community engagement.
He further directed that serious investors identified at the roundtable be linked to specific investment opportunities and provided with clear implementation plans, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
The Governor said the state expected a practical action plan covering identified investors, mineral opportunities, host locations, required approvals and timelines for site acquisition and project commissioning.
Governor Kefas stressed that the success of the roundtable would ultimately be measured by the investments, projects, jobs and industries generated from it.
In his address of welcome, the Director General of the Taraba Geographic Information Service, TAGIS, Dr. Mark Maaku Joshua, said the state has considerable mineral resources capable of contributing to its development.
He said the roundtable provided an opportunity for the state, investors and development partners to exchange ideas on the best ways to harness the resources for economic growth.
