Minister's aide denies claims of handing Nigeria’s minerals to Chinese

Allegations that Nigeria's Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, is transferring the nation's mineral wealth to Chinese entities have been strongly refuted by his media aide. Kehinde Bamigbetan described the claims as "false and misleading," suggesting they are part of a deliberate misinformation campaign aimed at discrediting the minister.

Bamigbetan indicated that the allegations surfaced after the ministry revoked mining licenses belonging to Basin Mining Limited, reportedly a Nigerian subsidiary of the British-Australian firm Jupiter. The licenses were revoked due to the company's failure to pay statutory annual service fees, which accumulated to N2.494 billion. Jupiter subsequently initiated international arbitration against the Nigerian government and allegedly launched a campaign to pressure the ministry into reversing the decision.

Countering the narrative that Alake favors Chinese investors, Bamigbetan highlighted the minister's engagement with a diverse range of international investors from Europe, America, Canada, and Australia. He noted Alake's limited travel to China, which included a state visit with President Bola Tinubu and attendance at the China Mining Week 2025. In contrast, Alake has frequently attended investment platforms like the London Mines and Money conference and Mining Indaba in Cape Town, and has undertaken investment trips to Australia.

Bamigbetan emphasized that Nigeria's engagement with foreign investors in the mining sector predates the current administration, tracing back to the 1990s with economic liberalization reforms. He asserted that Alake's primary objective is to ensure local value addition by requiring mining operators to process minerals within Nigeria. This policy has led several Chinese companies to establish processing facilities in the country. He also pointed to the long-standing economic relationship between Nigeria and China, encompassing trade, infrastructure, technology, and investment.

“

The allegations are false and misleading, and are based on what is called a campaign of misinformation against the minister.