The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Henry Dele Alake, has commended the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG) for sustaining high standards of professionalism, ethics and global best practices in Nigeria’s mining industry.
Dr. Alake gave the commendation at the induction ceremony of newly qualified mining engineers and geoscientists, describing COMEG as a critical partner in the implementation of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly the drive to diversify the economy through solid minerals development.
Congratulating the inductees, the minister described their admission into the profession as both an honour and a responsibility.
He urged them to uphold integrity, embrace innovation and technology, and prioritise safety and environmental sustainability in the discharge of their duties.
The Minister highlighted COMEG’s contributions to digital transformation, continuous professional development, ethical enforcement and the formalisation of artisanal and small-scale mining across the country.
He disclosed that the Ministry issued about 867 mining licences in 2025 alone, with revenue from the sector increasing from ₦12 billion to over ₦50 billion. He also noted that geological surveys have been expanded nationwide to unlock Nigeria’s vast mineral potential.
Dr. Alake assured that the Federal Government would continue to support COMEG through enabling policies, funding and legislation, while calling on industry stakeholders to effectively harness Nigeria’s mineral resources in pursuit of the administration’s $1 trillion economy target.
Earlier, the Registrar of the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), Professor Zacheus Opafunso, applauded the Minister for providing the policy direction and institutional backing that ensured the successful implementation of the 2025 K-Entrepreneurship Training Programme in the solid minerals sector.
Speaking at the 15th induction and oath-taking ceremony of the 2025 COMEG inductees in Abuja, Professor Opafunso noted that Dr. Alake’s intervention guaranteed operational stability and policy continuity, especially after the agency was removed from the Federal Government budget in January 2024.
According to him, the Minister’s leadership was instrumental in securing national-level approvals for the KME framework and strengthening engagements with the Office of the Head of Service and the Council on Establishment. He revealed that 27 out of 30 committee members voted in favour of the KME integration proposal, marking a significant milestone in professional regulation, sector reforms and capacity building.
Professor Opafunso also commended the Minister for facilitating strategic partnerships and negotiations that reduced the programme’s implementation cost from ₦72 million to ₦20 million, enabling its execution despite funding constraints.
He explained that the entrepreneurship training aligns with the Federal Government’s agenda to expand technical skills, create jobs and promote economic diversification along the mining value chain. The redesigned training model, he said, integrates induction, technical instruction, certification and practical field sessions to meet modern professional and industry demands.
He added that the initiative supports the Renewed Hope Agenda by promoting innovation, accountability, youth empowerment and private sector participation, while strengthening local content and professional standards in geosciences and engineering.
In his remarks, the Director-General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, Professor Olusegun Ige, charged the newly inducted professionals to uphold ethics, professionalism and a strong sense of national service. He described mining engineers and geoscientists as central to Nigeria’s solid minerals development and economic diversification, while reaffirming government’s commitment to collaboration with COMEG.
Some of the inductees, including Emily Atchafodile and Mohammed Adoki, expressed excitement over their induction, describing it as long overdue and an overwhelming experience.
A total of 259 mining engineers and geoscientists were inducted into the council.
