FG Refutes NEF’s Claim Over Lagos Gold Refinery

The Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has rejected claims by the Northern Elders Forum that the Federal Government breached the federal character principle by locating a gold refinery in Lagos.

In a statement issued on Sunday in Abuja by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the ministry said the allegation distorted remarks made by the Minister, Dr Dele Alake, on the planned inauguration of a gold refinery project and reforms in the solid minerals sector.

The ministry clarified that the Federal Government neither owns nor established a gold refinery in Lagos or anywhere else in the country. It stressed that at no point did the minister state that the refinery was a government-owned project.

Tomori explained that Dr Alake had made it clear that several gold refinery projects are being developed across the country and that they are all privately owned by different companies.

He further stated that the refinery cited by the Northern Elders Forum is a private initiative of Kian Smith, a wholly privately owned mining company, created to support the growth of Nigeria’s local gold industry. According to him, the Federal Government does not determine where private investors site their businesses, as such decisions are driven by commercial and operational considerations.

The ministry urged the public to clearly differentiate between government projects and private sector investments, reaffirming its commitment to fostering an enabling environment for solid minerals development nationwide.

Tomori also commended the determination of the company’s founder and Managing Director, Ms Nere Emiko, describing the project as a flagship achievement resulting from years of perseverance, enterprise, and leadership.

He added that the refinery aligns with the solid minerals sector’s value-addition policy, which seeks to curb the export of raw minerals while promoting local processing and manufacturing.