By Adedapo Adesanya

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Mr Dele Alake, has urged investors to partner with the federal government to convert abandoned mining pits into profitable ventures, as part of efforts to curb illegal mining and prevent avoidable deaths at unlicensed sites.

Mr Alake made the call following the collapse of an abandoned tin mine pit in Kassa, Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of Plateau State, which claimed seven lives, saying such sites could be safely repurposed for productive investments rather than left vulnerable to illegal miners.

The minister said the permit would have qualified them to benefit from the ministry’s artisanal mining department’s field training and ensured a steady stream of income.

Calling on artisanal miners nationwide to learn a grave lesson from the collective grief that the sad incident has inflicted on the nation, the minister commiserated with the government and people of Plateau State on the sad incident and prayed for the repose of the dead.

“The challenge before the state and the Federal Government is how to turn these potential pits of death into centres of joyful prosperity”, Mr Alake said, noting that there are over 4,000 mine pits dug by the mining conglomerate Amalgamated Tin Mines Limited and its successor companies – Consolidated Tin Mines Limited and Nigerian Tin and Allied Products Limited.

He said the government welcomes investors interested in repurposing these pits for energy, tourism and fishery projects.

Mr Alake said collaborating with the private sector is the most proactive and fastest approach to turning dead assets into productive use, noting that the Ministry has rehabilitated 59 abandoned pits so far.

In a bid to de-risk investment, he said the ministry has embarked on a strategic initiative to deploy advanced GIS satellite mapping and Artificial Intelligence through a public-private partnership with ImPPPact Nigeria Alliance, alongside geomatics specialist Intomatics, using Plateau State as the pilot beneficiary to locate, characterise accurately, and design workflows to reclaim the thousands of legacy tin pits.

He advised investors to direct enquiries to the Nigerian Mining Cadastral Office and the Ministry’s Mines and Environmental Compliance Department, and to apply to the Solid Minerals Development Fund’s funding programme.

To ensure that abandoned pits do not occur again, Alake said he has pioneered the establishment of the Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation Fund by activating what had been a mere constitutional provision.

“Very soon, we shall conclude discussions with the fund managers. Thenceforth, mining companies must pay to the Fund so that it can rehabilitate mine pits if the companies don’t do so during closure,” he said.

By Adedapo Adesanya

The federal government will next Tuesday unveil a $1 billion social protection programme targeting 7.2 million of the country’s most vulnerable households through emergency cash transfers and other interventions aimed at helping them withstand economic shocks and transition towards self-reliance.

The programme will be unveiled by the First Lady of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs Oluremi Tinubu, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. It is part of the efforts of the administration of President Bola Tinubu to strengthen social protection and ensure that vulnerable Nigerians are protected while being supported towards resilience and economic self-reliance.

Mr Abimbola Fasanu, the Senior Technical Adviser on Information Systems and Data Analysis to the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction, Mr Bernard Doro, said in a statement that the unveiling goes beyond the launch of a single programme, as it introduces a more coordinated approach to humanitarian response, social protection and poverty reduction, with the household placed at the centre of intervention and measurement.

A major component of the event will be the launch of the Federal Government Emergency Shock-Responsive Cash Transfer Programme, targeting 7.2 million of the most vulnerable households nationwide.

The event will also feature the launch of the One Humanitarian One Poverty Response System (OHOPRS), Nigeria’s integrated framework for humanitarian response, social protection, poverty reduction and economic inclusion; the Federal Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction Ministerial Blueprint; and Humanity First Magazine.

Mr Doro said OHOPRS addresses a longstanding challenge in which different government institutions, development partners and other organisations may intervene without sufficient visibility of who has already received support, what assistance was provided and whether the intervention improved the household’s condition.

“Nigeria cannot continue with a system where one vulnerable household receives interventions from several institutions while another equally vulnerable household remains unseen. We must know who has been reached, what support they received, whether it worked and what they need next,” the Minister said.

Under the new approach, a household receiving emergency assistance following a flood, conflict, economic shock or other crisis should not simply disappear from Government’s radar once the immediate emergency has passed. Where necessary, that household can be connected to appropriate social protection, livelihood support, skills development and economic opportunities, with progress towards resilience and self-reliance tracked over time.

“Our objective is not to keep Nigerians permanently dependent on assistance. We are moving from palliatives to pathways, from fragmentation to coordination, and from vulnerability to prosperity,” he stated.

He said the reform reflects President Tinubu’s commitment to ensuring that economic reforms ultimately translate into improved welfare and greater opportunities for Nigerian households.

The Minister added that the First Lady’s role in unveiling the programme provides an important connection with her commitment to improving the welfare and economic opportunities of women, young people, families and vulnerable Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Initiative.

“The true measure of success is not simply how many Nigerians receive assistance, but how many become stronger, more resilient and ultimately able to sustain themselves and their families,” the spokesperson said.

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Tuesday, August 25, 2026, has been declared a public holiday by the federal government to celebrate this year’s Eid ul Mawlid.

A statement on Friday by the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Interior, Ms Magdalene Ajani, said the holiday is in commemoration of the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him).

Announcing the holiday on behalf of the federal government, the Minister of Interior, Mr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, extended warm felicitations to Muslims in Nigeria and across the diaspora.

“Every Eid ul Mawlid gives us reason to pause and draw lessons from a life defined by compassion, humility and service to others.

“These are qualities our nation needs now more than ever, and I encourage every Nigerian, not just our Muslim brothers and sisters, to reflect on them,” he was quoted as saying in the statement, adding that the period should also serve as a time for collective prayer for the peace and cohesion of the country, noting that national unity remains a shared responsibility.

Mr Tunji-Ojo further charged citizens to observe the celebration with restraint and mutual respect, wishing the Muslim community a joyous and peaceful Eid, restating the resolve of the present administration to safeguard lives and property across the country and to ensure that peace is maintained at all times.