Governor Mai Mala Buni of Yobe State has said that the Yobe Mining Development Company Limited is the only agency authorised to oversee all exploration and mining activities across the state.
Buni stated this at a mining stakeholders’ forum in Damaturu, noting that the Yobe Mining Company serves as the government’s designated one-stop shop for mining operations.
“Yobe state is richly endowed with mineral resources such as limestone, gypsum, kaolin, granite, quartz, and silica, among many others. Yet, for decades, these gifts of nature have remained grossly untapped and underutilised.
“The time has come to turn these hidden potentials into productive assets that will create jobs, generate wealth, and advance the socio-economic development of our people.
“Our objective is to chart a coordinated course for growth of the mining sector in Yobe State, in a manner that aligns with federal policy, ensures community inclusion, attracts credible investors, and guarantees environmental responsibility.
“It is also our conviction that responsible mining, when properly managed, can become a major driver of our state’s economic resilience, youth employment, and revenue diversification.
“We envision a mining sector that operates within a transparent regulatory framework; that upholds environmental sustainability and community benefit; that promotes public-private partnerships anchored on trust and accountability; that encourages local participation while attracting reputable foreign investment,” Buni said.
He charged the stakeholders to concentrate on mineral mapping and data presentation to showcase Yobe potential, policy and institutional alignment, investor engagement and incentives, roles of communities and traditional institutions among others.
Also, Bamodu Yerima, managing director of the Yobe Mining Development Company, said the company has developed an information repository for feasibility studies in three key mineral sectors, limestone (for cement and hydrated lime production), gypsum (for cement, fertiliser, and building materials), and trona or soda ash (for fertiliser, detergent, and glass production).
He said reputable consulting firms were engaged through open and transparent procurement processes to prepare the feasibility studies in line with international standards.
Yerima added that the Yobe Mining Development Company has prioritised the organisation of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations across the Fika, Fune, Gulani, Gujba, Yusufari, and Nangere local government areas.
According to him, the company has registered artisanal miners into cooperative clusters and provided training, safety tools, and market access to support their operations.
He further said a Community Development Trust Fund has been established to reinvest 5–10% of project profits into education, healthcare, and water infrastructure.
“The Yobe Mining Development Company ensures that mining drives local livelihoods, peace, and shared prosperity at the grassroots to promote community participation” he said.
The managing director noted that the company has engaged the Islamic Development Bank, the African Development Bank (AfDB), BADEA, Afreximbank, and the Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) for various partnership projects in the mineral sector.
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Others include the Nigerian Export-Import (NEXIM) Bank for export financing and beneficiation support, and the Bank of Industry (BOI) for value addition and SME linkages in mineral-based manufacturing, a move that reflects the growing global confidence in Yobe’s institutional reforms and industrial vision.
Various stakeholders commended the Yobe State Government for its bold initiative to diversify the state’s economy through a value chain that promotes job creation and economic prosperity.
The stakeholders, drawn from across Nigeria and Germany, among others, witnessed the signing of Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) between the Yobe State Government and the various partners.
