Plateau State to use Solid Minerals for Nigeria's Entergy Independence

Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, has stated that his administration is unlocking the state's potential to fuel Nigeria’s energy independence using its rich natural resources.

Governor Mutfwang made these remarks on Tuesday in Abuja at the opening of the inaugural Nigerian Renewable Energy Innovation Forum (NREIF) 2025, organised by the Rural Electrification Agency.

The forum is organised in line with President Bola Tinubu’s energy transition journey towards renewable energy production and consumption.

Represented by his deputy, Ngo Josephine Piyo, the Governor said the meeting is set to ignite a new vision for Nigeria’s industrial future, one where the country's minerals become catalysts for innovation and machines that illuminate communities.

“Plateau State stands today at the epicentre of Nigeria’s green industrial transformation, where geology, geography, and innovation converge,” he said.

"For over a century, the Plateau highlands supplied the tin and columbite that helped build the modern world. Now, these same mineral veins, rich in tin, lithium, tantalum, niobium, barite, and silica, among others, position the State as the strategic gateway to Nigeria’s renewable-energy future.”

“In a world transitioning from fossil fuels to clean technologies, Plateau’s minerals are not just resources; they are catalysts for sustainable power, value-added manufacturing, and climate-resilient growth,” he added.

Governor Mutfwang said this initiative will transform raw minerals into solar components, turbine materials, and battery systems for Nigeria’s clean-energy economy.

He added that through partnerships with agencies like the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), the National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure (NASENI), and private investors, Plateau would become the nucleus of a North-Central Renewable Belt. This would link states like Nasarawa, Bauchi, and Benue in a corridor of innovation, responsible mining, and manufacturing excellence.

He explained that Plateau State stands ready, confident, and committed to leading the charge to power the future of renewable energy in Nigeria.

In an opening remark, Vice President Kashim Shettima stated that Nigeria’s energy transition journey under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unlocking an investment opportunity of over $410 billion to position the nation as the heartbeat of Africa’s renewable energy revolution.

According to him, Nigeria is blessed with the minerals that power clean technologies and is ready to harness her resources, unlock her capital, and become the vibrant heartbeat of Africa’s renewable energy revolution.

Earlier, the Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, said the forum opens a new chapter in Nigeria’s energy transformation, highlighting the role of innovative partnerships in targeting a significant amount of local solar energy production capacity.

On his part, the Managing Director of the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), Mallam Abba Aliyu, said the NREIF is a forum that connects policy and vision with research efforts, accelerating Nigeria’s aspirations to develop a sustainable green energy ecosystem.