The Ore Reserve Development Forum (ORDF) of Nigeria has entered into a strategic implementation agreement with the Royal Institute for Training and Capacity Development, based at Zuma Rock Resort, to serve as the host and implementation hub for ORDF programmes.
The agreement was reached at a formal meeting held at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Riyadh, on the sidelines of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF).
ORDF was represented by Mr Uba Saidu Malami, Chairman of ORDF, while the Royal Institute was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Moayad AlRachid.
ORDF emerged as an outcome of the Geological Society of Nigeria (GSN) Roundtables on Ore Reserves Development (ORDF 1.0 in 2024 and ORDF 2.0 in November 2025) — as a structured response to a persistent constraint in Nigeria’s mining sector: the lack of alignment with globally recognised mineral resource and ore reserve reporting codes, which continues to undermine project bankability and access to long-term finance.
The Forum brings together an advisory group of institutional stakeholders spanning capital markets and development finance, including the Nigerian Exchange Group, Nigerian Export-Import Bank, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Solid Minerals Development Fund.
Under the Riyadh agreement, the Royal Institute will provide the institutional base for ORDF, positioning it as a regional hub for ore reserve reporting standards and research on mineral valuation, data governance, and international code alignment. Implementation will be delivered through certification frameworks, technical committees, professional training programmes, and digital tools, ensuring continuity beyond periodic convenings and anchoring long-term professional engagement.
By institutionalising ORDF at The Royal Institute, the Forum transitions from a successful dialogue platform into an operational mechanism capable of supporting Nigeria’s progression from artisanal and small-scale mining to investment-ready, large-scale industrial mining. The partnership is expected to strengthen technical credibility, improve investor confidence, and align Nigeria’s mineral assets with global financing and reporting expectations.
