Plans underway to reposition Nigeria’s solid mineral sector— Speaker Abbas

…tasks African leaders to cut off illicit finance to armed groups amidst insecurity challenges

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, on Wednesday reiterated the 10th Assembly’s resolve towards repositioning Nigeria’s solid mineral sector at a time of dwindling oil revenues and an unavoidable transition to clean, renewable energy.

Speaker Abbas gave the assurance in Abuja, during the 8th Annual Conference of the Network of African Parliamentarians on Defence and Security (REPAM-CDS), a high-level dialogue on combating insecurity in Africa, focusing on an enhanced role for regional co-operation and natural resource governance.

While acknowledging the myriad socioeconomic and security challenges facing the continent, Speaker Abbas underscored the need for African governments to cut off illicit finance to armed groups and unlock sustainable jobs for youths.

He said, “Our continent faces many challenges. Poor management of natural resources, open borders, extreme ideologies, and alienation of young people are causing conflicts that threaten lives and institutions. The Sahel region, rich in gold, oil, and minerals, has seen thousands of deaths just this year. West Africa recorded nearly 25,000 civilian deaths between 2021 and mid-2024. These numbers show that insecurity in one part of Africa affects the whole continent’s prosperity.

“Nigeria has embraced the responsibility of leadership in continental security. From early ECOWAS peace-support initiatives to our current involvement in the Multinational Joint Task Force and the Gulf of Guinea maritime arrangements, we reliably provide troops, intelligence, and mediation. Parliament supports this leadership through legislation, oversight, and ongoing citizen engagement.

“The Tenth House has sponsored fifteen security-focused bills, including the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons Act 2023, the Armed Forces Amendment Act 2023, and the Cybercrimes Amendment Act 2024. Additionally, extensive revisions to the Police Act, the Terrorism Prevention and Prohibition Act, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Act are well underway.

“In the 2025 budget, the National Assembly supported these reforms with the largest single allocation to defence and internal security in Nigeria’s history, recognising that national development cannot progress while terrorism, kidnapping, cybercrime, and sabotage continue.

“The struggle for peace is also a struggle for responsible stewardship of Africa’s natural endowments. Illicit mining, opaque oil contracts and unregulated timber corridors generate revenue streams that arm insurgents, corrupt institutions and deny communities the dividends of growth. Where resource governance is weak, violence takes root; where it is transparent and accountable, prosperity and stability follow. Nigeria’s recent reforms illustrate the point.

“The Petroleum Industry Act has overhauled the governance of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector. The Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative now publishes disaggregated revenue data, and beneficial-ownership registers are exposing shell companies that once siphoned wealth to shadowy networks.

“Building on these gains, I have publicly committed to sponsoring a comprehensive amendment of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act 2007. This initiative will reposition our solid minerals sector as a pillar of the national economy at a time of dwindling oil revenues and an unavoidable transition to clean, renewable energy.

“We intend to tighten licensing procedures, secure mine sites, implement community benefit-sharing schemes, and align environmental safeguards with global best practices, thereby cutting off illicit finance to armed groups and unlocking sustainable jobs for our youth.”

Speaking on the role of the National Assembly, Speaker Abbas averred that: “Parliament holds key powers over natural resources. Our Appropriation Committees ensure that funds from resources are deposited into a designated account and reviewed annually. The Public Accounts and Anti-corruption Committees monitor funds from bonuses and community levies, insisting on clear contracts and royalty details. The Security and Defence Committees verify whether resource security funds are used to protect vital assets or if they are misappropriated. This oversight underscores the importance of resource management in national security.

“REPAM-CDS has demonstrated how coordinated parliamentary action can be effective. The network has created model laws on arms control and counter-terrorism, which many countries have adopted. It has also trained hundreds of lawmakers and clerks in intelligence oversight and defence budgeting. Furthermore, it introduced a peer review system to assess parliamentary performance in security governance. It helped expedite the approval of significant agreements, such as the African Union Convention on Cyber Security and Personal Data Protection. These achievements illustrate the influence of consistent parliamentary diplomacy.

“Cooperation needs to grow stronger. Cybercriminal groups and mercenaries easily cross borders, hiding their illegal profits through complex trade fraud and digital assets. Poverty and lack of opportunities lead to unemployment, with over a third of Nigerians aged 15 to 34 unemployed or underemployed. Creating jobs, providing vocational training, and ensuring fair access to land and resources are just as important for peace as military action. There are still gaps in arms control and environmental laws across the continent, even though the African Union’s “Silencing the Guns” initiative aims to end conflict by 2030.”

To this end, he tasked African Parliaments to “form a special forum to monitor regions with resource conflicts. This team would collaborate with regional legislative bodies to collect data, recommend safeguards, and support community-led development initiatives. We also call for a continent-wide agreement on digital sovereignty, to help countries protect their cyberspace and financial systems without infringing on civil rights.

“Colleagues, the people of Africa are watching us. They want us to turn our debates into real action, to match words with results, and to protect democracy, dignity, and our shared heritage. Nigeria and the National Assembly are ready to help by sharing expertise, creating centres for legislative drafting, strengthening intelligence cooperation, and supporting a free press that promotes accountability. Let us unite with unwavering resolve to strengthen our committees and harness our natural resources responsibly, ensuring they serve and empower our people.”

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