News
FG Approves N2.5bn to Combat Illegal Mining with Satellite Technology
Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved the procurement of a N2.5 billion satellite technology to combat illegal mining activities in Nigeria at its third meeting of the year on Monday.
Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, made this announcement while briefing State House correspondents after the meeting. He explained that the satellite technology is part of an integrated solution framework aimed at addressing unlicensed, unregulated, and underreported mining operations.
The minister highlighted that the technology would help curb illegal mining activities that have resulted in revenue loss, unregulated operations, and the illegal extraction and exploitation of the country’s mineral resources.
“We are procuring satellite equipment and satellite gadgets that will be installed in strategic places all over the country. These will allow us to monitor, in real time, the operations at mining sites across the nation,” Alake said.
“There will be a center with a screen at the operations center, the mines marshal center, and my office as well. At a glance, at the click of a button, you can view any mine site and see the operations there: the volume of mineral extracted, the number of trucks going out, and the security situation in the area.”
Alake explained that his ministry’s efforts to tackle illegal mining involved a two-pronged strategy. The first, a persuasive approach, encourages artisanal miners to form cooperatives.
He stated that once miners form cooperatives, they become formalized, legal, and more structured, which allows them to add value to the country’s economy.
“When they form cooperatives, they become bankable. They can even access financial institutions to procure loans to expand their businesses. And of course, it means they have to pay their obligations to the Nigerian state,” Alake said.
According to the minister, over 300 cooperative societies have been established as part of this initiative. For those who resist this approach, the ministry has adopted a coercive strategy.
“We used the coercive measure, and that is epitomized by the Mining Marshalls that we established. To date, we have arrested, apprehended, prosecuted, and convicted illegal operators, including foreigners,” Alake said.
Atte Ayodeji, a Nigerian computer scientist,has developed an artificial intelligence algorithm capable of detecting, counting, grouping and generating healthy hair follicles during hair transplant procedures, an innovation that earned him the Best Innovative Technology award.
Atte Ayodeji
Ayodeji also graduated with a Distinction in his Master of Science (MSc) in Computer Science from Birmingham City University on Friday, adding another milestone to an impressive academic year.
Beyond his award-winning hair transplant innovation, the Nigerian researcher developed a system and framework on Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) as a professional responsibility in the diagnosis of lung cancer.
His dissertation received a silver award at the PGXPO2026 Winter, further highlighting the impact of his research in applying artificial intelligence to healthcare.
Sunday Dare, special adviser on Media and Public Communication to President Tinubu, celebrated Ayodeji’s achievements in a post on X, recalling how he first met him in 2019 during his National Youth Service.
“In 2019 when I became a Minister of the Republic, I met a young man of medium height, genteel with penetrating eyes: Atte Ayodeji. His words rarely come out and he could easily be passed by unnoticed. But I noticed him especially when my SA Kemi Areola brought him to me asking my approval for him to do his Youth Service in my office. I approved. From then on he was unstoppable. His brilliance shown and he developed skills beyond his frame.”
Highlighting Ayodeji’s recent accomplishments, Dare congratulated him saying, “Congratulations Atte. I am proud of you!”
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power, has said that the federal government plans to end power sector subsidies from 2027 and that there are no immediate plans for tariff increases.
Mr. Joseph Tegbe, minister of Power
The minister told journalists during the media interactive session at the weekend that the government has announced plans to phase out electricity subsidy payments from 2027 as part of efforts to address mounting liabilities in the power sector.
He explained that the planned removal forms part of the broader reforms aimed at ensuring the long-term sustainability of the electricity sector, while tackling the financial challenges confronting the industry.
According to the minister, despite the planned subsidy withdrawal, there are no immediate plans to increase electricity tariffs, reassuring consumers that the government is not considering a tariff hike in the short term.
Patience Okala, the National Coordinator and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office has urged African countries to stop exporting raw materials and instead focus on adding value to its natural resources if it is to fully harness the opportunities offered by the African Continental Free Trade Area.
She stated this on Thursday at the Streamsowers & Köhn 20th Anniversary Business Forum, where she stressed that value addition and beneficiation are essential to Africa’s industrialisation and long-term economic growth.
According to a statement issued on Friday by the Nigeria AfCFTA Coordination Office, she said the AfCFTA goes beyond the elimination of tariffs, serving as a framework for industrialisation, value addition, and job creation across the continent.
“AfCFTA is not only about tariffs; it is also about value addition. Africa has to stop exporting raw materials. We need to add value and ensure that beneficiation is done on the continent,” she said.
Okala also said Africa’s economic transformation would depend on the effective implementation of the AfCFTA rather than on the signing of trade agreements alone.
“We have moved beyond negotiations. The success of AfCFTA will be measured by the extent to which businesses can access new markets, trade seamlessly across borders, and benefit from the opportunities created by the agreement,” she said.
She noted that Nigeria had intensified efforts to implement the agreement under the leadership of the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, including the development of simplified AfCFTA guides in six languages to help businesses understand and take advantage of opportunities under the trade pact.
Okala called for stronger collaboration among governments, regulators, and the private sector to eliminate barriers to trade and investment and build a truly integrated African market.
“As we move from policy to implementation, our collective responsibility is to ensure that the opportunities created by AfCFTA become practical realities for businesses, particularly MSMEs, women-owned enterprises, and young entrepreneurs across the continent,” she said.
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