The Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, has expressed concern at what it views as “the refusal or reluctance of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) to disclose details of the agreement widely reported in the national and international press, to have been signed with the United States on 23rd September 2026, in New York, relating to the exploitation of critical and/or strategic minerals.”
The concern of the ACF is that the reported deal remains opaque, particularly in the absence of sufficient publicly available information regarding the terms, scope, financial commitments, and implementation frameworks, saying that it recognises the potential benefits of responsible international investment and technical cooperation.
Its National Publicity Secretary Prof Muhammad-Buba, in a statement on Wednesday, said that it considers transparency, accountability, national sovereignty, economic justice and the protection of Nigeria’s national interests as indispensable in any arrangement capable of having significant and lasting consequences for the country and the communities in which they occur.
According to ACF, full public disclosure, and scrutiny therefrom, are therefore very critical and should not be treated cavalierly.
The Forum is also mindful that Northern Nigeria possesses significant deposits of gold, lithium, lead-zinc and other commercially valuable minerals, saying that properly exploited and developed within a transparent and accountable legal framework, these resources could contribute substantially to employment generation, industrial development, public revenue and the diversification of the regional economy.
ACF noted that the central issue is not simply whether these resources would attract foreign investment, whether their development will translate into demonstrable or measurable and substantial benefits for the people of the region or elsewhere in the country, but also whether they are legitimate aspirations.
The statement explained, “Such benefits should include meaningful Nigerian participation in mining and related industries, skills acquisition and development, local processing where commercially and technically viable, infrastructure development, environmental protection, fair compensation for affected communities and the creation of enduring economic opportunities.
“Such aspirations are important for all but especially so for the northern region being mired in a cascading web of devastating insecurity with armed non-state actors visiting mindless violence and wreaking havoc on communities, killing, raping, maiming, looting, displacing populations, subjecting hapless settlements to arson, kidnapping citizens for ransom, and other unspeakable brutalities.”
It explained that ACF is particularly concerned that the spate of insecurity pervading many parts of the northern region may expose mineral-bearing communities to unlawful exploitation, population displacement, environmental degradation and the loss of legitimate economic opportunities, pointing out that the development strategies for mineral resources must not create additional vulnerabilities for communities already engaged in economic activity.
It added that the Federal Government and relevant security and regulatory institutions should therefore explain the safeguards that will prevent illegal exploitation, protect mining sites and host communities, as well as ensure that the proceeds of lawful mineral development contribute to legitimate economic activities.
ACF noted that any allegations of unlawful exploitation or the involvement or complicity of foreign interests in criminal activities in mining or other areas should be thoroughly investigated by the competent authorities and addressed based on hard, credible evidence.
ACF called on the Federal Government, the National Assembly and the relevant regulatory institutions to ensure full transparency and appropriate scrutiny by publishing the agreement and associated documents to the full extent provided by law.
It stressed the need to clarify the legal status and financial implications of the arrangement, identify the participating companies, their obligations and any preferential rights or guarantees for them and explain the mechanisms for legislative scrutiny and regulatory oversight as may be necessary.
The forum also requested the disclosure of the proposed arrangement for local participation, value addition, environmental protection and community benefits, the establishment of a transparent mechanism for monitoring implementation and reporting progress and consultation with relevant state governments, affected communities and other stakeholders in accordance with applicable law(s).
