Kebbi State’s Solid Mineral Wealth: Five New Discoveries Under Governor Idris
By:
Yakubu Ahmed Bk
Kebbi State boasts a total of thirty solid mineral deposits, with five of these discovered during the tenure of the current Governor, Dr. Nasir Idris. You may wonder why this development is noteworthy. The answer lies in the economic promise these new findings bring, as they stem from the Governor’s dedicated efforts to tap into the state’s mineral wealth, and widen new IGR horizons aiming to transform Kebbi’s economic landscape and ensure long-term sustainability and industrial progress.
When Dr. Idris took office in 2023, he found the solid mineral sector in a dire state of neglect. Despite Kebbi’s rich deposits that could be pivotal in shifting the state’s economic paradigm, previous administrations failed to take essential steps to promote the exploitation of these minerals. The lack of a dedicated Commission or department to oversee how investors engage with local communities and the state as a whole hindered substantial progress since the state was created in 1991.
Past governments seemed indifferent to the urgent need to diversify the economy away from an overreliance on oil, a strategy crucial for cultivating self-sufficiency and sustainability in the state. In Nigeria, this shift has become imperative for states to build up their capacity to generate internal revenue to lay claim to some political relevance and fight for more money from the federation account. The case of Lagos is an example, that in the long run, how much a state generates internally will become a political weapon to advance frontiers of development and to prove its relevance in the scheme of things in a country fast moving on the path of “what do you bring to the table” mantra.
With a preponderance of these key mineral deposits in Kebbi, past governments should have paid attention to exploitation in order to place Kebbi on the path of sustainable economic development as well as the political edge to lay claim to more wealth for development.
Upon assuming leadership, Dr. Idris tackled this challenge head-on by establishing, for the first time, the Ministry of Solid Mineral Development, complete with necessary departments aimed at fostering an effective framework for mineral exploitation. His idea was to take charge, streamline mining operations and ensure that operators play by the rules.
One of his first moves was the temporary suspension of mining activities in all parts of the state implemented due to security concerns and the need to regulate operations previously conducted outside legal parameters. This suspension took effect in September 2023. He navigated the minefield of federal government’s constitutionally guaranteed exclusive rights over mineral deposits and ended up winning concessions for the state.
Once the groundwork for responsible mining practices was laid and companies were made accountable, the suspension was lifted, and operations resumed; multiple companies are now active, with over ten more currently awaiting licensing.
Before this priority was given to the mining sector by Dr Idris Kebbi had been credited with some 25 solid mineral deposits. However, as the state government’s revitalization efforts began to bear fruit, an additional five mineral types were discovered.
Here’s the complete list of Kebbi State’s mineral deposits:
1. Limestone in Jega and Maiyama
2. Iron Ore in Gwandu
3. Bauxite in Suru and Dandi
4. Coal in Birnin Kebbi
5. Kaolin in Koko, Bagudo, Argungu, and Dandi
6. Potash (Trona) in Dandi, Shanga, Bunza, and Kalgo
7. Bentonite in Bunza, Argungu, and Gwandu
8. Gypsum in Arewa
9. Phosphate in Jega, Maiyama, and Bunza
10. Gold in Yauri, Ngaski, Fakai, Zuru, Shanga, Sakaba, and Danko/Wasagu
11. Magnesium in Zuru
12. Lepidolite (Lithium) in Shanga and Fakai
13. Kunzite (Lithium) in Ngaski, Shanga, Bagudo, and Fakai
14. Spodumene (Lithium) in Yauri, Ngaski, and Shanga
15. Fluorite in Sakaba
16. Mica (Muscovite) in Fakai and Yauri
17. Amethyst in Shanga and Fakai
18. Beryllium in Shanga/Danko-Wasagu
19. Copper in Ngaski, Yauri, and Danko/Wasagu
20. Ilmenite in Ngaski and Danko/Wasagu
21. Manganese in Bagudo and Danko/Wasagu
22. Quartz in Shanga, Yauri, Fakai, Ngaski, Sakaba, and Danko/Wasagu
23. Tourmaline in Shanga and Fakai
24. Talc in Fakai and Zuru
25. Feldspar in Yauri, Zuru, Sakaba, Shanga, Fakai, and Danko/Wasagu
26. Monazite in Shanga and Zuru
27. Lead in Sakaba and Danko/Wasagu
28. Zinc in Shanga and Danko/Wasagu
29. Marble in Shanga
30. Molybdenum in Fakai and Zuru.
The five newly discovered in the last twenty months are:
1. Lithium Ore
2. Flourite
3. Ilmenite
4. Monozite
5. Molybdenum
This addition brings with it political and economic power in Nigeria’s emerging socio economic variables and development firmament.
The future looks bright for Kebbi State as it embarks on a new era of economic and industrial development. Presently, the mining sector is generating significant revenue, in an atmosphere of promising future advancement signaling a transformative phase under the leadership of the state’s most proactive governor.
Yakubu Ahmed BK is the Commissioner for Information and Culture Kebbi State.
