The House of Representatives is considering a bill to establish a Lithium Development Commission and another to create a Solid Minerals Communities Development Commission. Both bills aim to boost the welfare of host communities and reform Nigeria’s solid minerals sector.
The House Committee on Solid Minerals held a public hearing on Thursday to review the proposals. Committee chairman Jonathan Gaza said the sector has “enormous potential” for job creation, revenue, and industrial growth but has long been hampered by outdated laws, weak institutions, and poor funding.
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Gaza explained that the bills seek to replace old structures like the Nigerian Coal Corporation Act with forward-looking frameworks. They also propose creating a Nigerian Mining Development Bank, setting up institutes of mining and geosciences across the country, and encouraging private sector partnerships to attract long-term investment.
Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas, represented by Oyo lawmaker Mark Oseni, said the bills address critical legal, financial, and human resource challenges in the sector. He urged stakeholders to contribute ideas that will help refine the proposals into laws that serve national interests.
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