Business
Plateau State Partners FHA
Plateau State Partners FHA
… As Hon Oyetunde Ojo, Managing Director and Chief Executive visits the state.
The Executive Governor of Plateau states, “His Excellency Caleb Mutfwang has allocated over 100 hectares of land to Federal Housing Authority for the Renewed Hope Housing project.
This was made known Tuesday 14th May, 2024, when the Authority’s Managing Director and Chief Executive, Hon Oyetunde Oladimeji Ojo led a team of management on a visit to the state governor.
Hon Oyetunde Ojo had earlier in his address thanked the governor for graciously allocating land to FHA before the visit, demonstrating his zeal to serve his people. He also commended the Governor for the sustained development of the state, which is visible from the various projects going on, especially the massive support agriculture and farmers are receiving.
The MD informed the governor that the main purpose of the visit was to bring to him the message of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) on the need to house Nigerians, through the Renewed Hope Agenda programme on Housing, reiterating Mr President’s directives on not only giving Nigerians houses, but livable and affordable ones.
Stressing on the importance President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) attaches to adequate shelter for Nigerians, Hon. Ojo reminded the Governor that Mr. President from his manifesto during the campaign had held housing very high in the welfarism theory. He said, therefore, in the fulfillment of that promise, he deemed it fit to appoint the new FHA management, which he is leading to go round the country for its holistic implementation and help fix the housing challenges of Nigerians.
Hon Ojo therefore told His Excellency Governor Muftwang that the Authority has come to request for land for the Renewed Hope project.
The MD declared the Authority’s intentions to collaborate with the state in the designs and planning of the project, in line with the resolve of FHA management to consult with every state government before projects are sited.
In the words of the FHA boss, ” we are not a management that would sit in Abuja and impose designs on the people of Plateau State. It is the people from the state that would live in the houses. That is why we want to consult with you because you know the culture and taste of your people better. ”
The FHA boss also called on the governor to help FHA in the issue of settling compensation on the land, a matter he said is often complex and creates bottle necks, which His Excellency as the custodian of land and with his red biro can easily resolve.
According to Hon.Ojo, the Authority would also return some houses back to the State Government in lieu of the compensation for the people.
The MD also told the governor that FHA has a Diaspora initiative, where it would create a city within a city that can compete with any modern city anywhere. He said this would serve the interest of the people at the high end, while FHA builds for the masses.
The Authority would create such homes comparable with what we see in the high brow areas of Abuja and Lagos.
Hon Ojo also requested for the collaboration of the state government in providing off – takers for the houses to be built. He assured the governor of the role of the Authority’s mortgage bank; in providing mortgages.
On the delivery models to be adopted, he said the Authority would be delivering carcas, where only the exterior would be finished, with electricals and plumbing. There would also be One Bedrooms and Studio apartments for the benefit of Nigerians with lower financial capacity. Hon Ojo considered it needless to impose exquisite finishing on people and rather advocated that finishing should be based on affordability and taste.
The MD also pointed out the benefits in the value chain of Housing development and construction in the areas of fighting inflation through massive job creation, noting that insecurity would be a thing of the past when jobs are created.
The funds for developing this estate the MD noted would circulate in the v state thereby further stimulating the state’s economy, while the contactors from Plateau State would be highly considered.
Hon.Ojo noted that the Renewed Hope Housing programme on the directives of the President has no political affiliation or tribal colouration. He noted that FHA team has visited about 23 states in the country of diverse political inclination. The programme he noted is a Nigeria programme just as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the President of all Nigeria.
Governor Caleb Mutfwang in his response, thanked FHA for considering to site a project in PlateauState,While commending President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the initiative to fight Nigeria’s housing deficit, he declared Plateau state’s support for the Renewed Hope Housing programme.
In the Governor’s words, “I congratulate Mr President for initiating the fight of Housing deficit. We will definitely key into this project. We are eager, we are excited to partner with FHA “, he declared .
Business
Forging a Continental Future: Nigeria and South Africa Unite to Unlock Africa’s Mineral Wealth
Forging a Continental Future: Nigeria and South Africa Unite to Unlock Africa’s Mineral Wealth
By George O. Sylvester, Reporting from South Africa
CAPE TOWN, April 17, 2025 – In a landmark move aimed at reshaping Africa’s economic future, Nigeria and South Africa signed a historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the solid minerals sector. The agreement, reached during the 11th session of the Nigeria-South Africa Bi-National Commission (BNC), represents a strategic alliance focused on harnessing Africa’s vast mineral wealth for mutual benefit and sustainable development.
The deal marks a bold shift towards intra-African cooperation, at a time when global competition for mineral resources—especially critical minerals for green technologies—is intensifying. With the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) now operational, this bilateral partnership lays the groundwork for a new continental approach to resource governance and economic diversification.
A Tale of Two Giants
Nigeria, long regarded as a mono-economy reliant on oil (which accounts for over 85% of its export revenue), has begun to prioritize the mining sector as a vehicle for economic diversification. According to the Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI), the country’s solid minerals sector contributed a mere 0.63% to GDP as of 2022, despite holding an estimated $700 billion in untapped mineral reserves including gold, lithium, columbite, iron ore, and uranium.
In contrast, South Africa’s mining sector, which contributed approximately 7.5% to GDP in 2023 (StatsSA), is globally renowned for its depth, technological sophistication, and regulatory framework. With over 100 years of mining history, it boasts world-class infrastructure and expertise in areas such as deep-level mining, beneficiation, and environmental management.
The union of Nigeria’s raw potential and South Africa’s technical prowess could become a game-changer—not just for both economies but for Africa’s collective push toward industrialization and self-reliance.
Key Components of the MoU
1. Joint Geological Mapping
Using satellite imaging, geospatial technologies, and AI-powered mineral detection tools, both countries will collaborate on large-scale geological surveys. This effort is critical in Nigeria, where over 80% of the land remains geologically underexplored, according to the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).
2. Data Exchange and Transparency
A core pillar of the agreement is real-time data exchange between the NGSA and South Africa’s Council for Geoscience. This will enhance transparency, reduce investor risk, and improve planning. By adopting South Africa’s data management frameworks, Nigeria aims to move toward international best practices in resource classification and public disclosure.
3. Capacity Building and Technology Transfer
To reduce Nigeria’s dependence on foreign consultants, South Africa will assist in training geologists, metallurgists, and mining engineers through academic exchanges, short courses, and certification programs. Nigerian professionals will also be trained in advanced techniques such as Elemental Fingerprint Technology, which determines mineral origin—crucial for combatting illegal mining and smuggling.
4. Exploration of Agro and Energy Minerals
The MoU includes joint ventures in exploring agro-minerals like phosphate and potash (needed for local fertilizer production) and energy minerals like lithium and cobalt—essential components of electric vehicle batteries and clean energy storage systems. Nigeria’s nascent lithium reserves in Nasarawa and Ekiti states could prove critical as the world pivots toward decarbonization.
Economic Potential
According to PwC’s Nigeria Mining Sector Report, the solid minerals industry could contribute up to $27 billion annually to Nigeria’s GDP by 2030, if adequately developed. This partnership is expected to catalyze investment and attract global mining companies previously hesitant about Nigeria’s regulatory unpredictability.
Already, projections suggest the MoU could generate over $500 million in direct foreign investment during the first phase. Furthermore, the Nigerian Ministry of Solid Minerals forecasts the creation of 3 million jobs across the mining value chain—ranging from exploration and extraction to logistics and beneficiation.
For South Africa, this is a strategic economic expansion. With its traditional mining output slowing due to resource depletion and labor unrest, South Africa is seeking new avenues for growth. By investing in West Africa, it not only expands its mining footprint but deepens its diplomatic influence and commercial engagement with Africa’s largest economy.
Institutional Support and Structural Reforms
Nigeria’s reforms have not gone unnoticed. The introduction of the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (EMC+) has streamlined licensing and reduced corruption, enabling a transparent “first come, first served” process. In 2024 alone, over 1,500 mineral titles were processed electronically—a significant improvement from previous years marred by bureaucracy.
Moreover, the Nigeria Minerals Decision Support System (NMDSS) has made investor-relevant data—such as infrastructure availability, environmental regulations, and geoscience—accessible through a centralized portal. These tools are modeled after global standards, including Australia’s Geoscience Portal and South Africa’s SAMREC Code.
Diplomatic and Regional Impact
This partnership is more than a commercial endeavor; it is a diplomatic signal. Both countries, which combined account for over 30% of Africa’s GDP and nearly 300 million people, are demonstrating leadership in Pan-Africanism. The agreement comes at a time when Africa must assert control over its mineral wealth, especially with rising concerns over neocolonial extraction by foreign powers.
As Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Director-General of the WTO, noted in 2024:
“Africa cannot be the source of raw materials for global value chains without being part of those chains.”
The Nigeria-South Africa MoU embodies this vision. By focusing on value addition, local content development, and environmental sustainability, the partnership seeks to reverse the continent’s historical pattern of extractive exploitation.
A New African Vision
Underpinning this alliance is a deeper aspiration: a unified African response to global economic challenges. With AfCFTA aiming to boost intra-African trade by over 50% by 2030 (UNECA estimates), resource-rich countries must lead the charge. If this mining collaboration succeeds, it could set a precedent for other sectors—agriculture, energy, technology—where African synergies remain largely untapped.
It is also a message to African youth, millions of whom face unemployment despite living in the most resource-endowed continent on Earth. The partnership can create meaningful employment while fostering innovation, entrepreneurship, and skills development.
Conclusion
The Nigeria-South Africa mining partnership is not just a bilateral deal—it is a continental statement. It reflects a long-overdue shift in how African nations view their resources, their allies, and their future. By choosing cooperation over competition and value creation over mere extraction, both countries are redefining what African leadership means in the 21st century.
This agreement could well be remembered as a turning point—when two of Africa’s most influential nations chose not only to collaborate but to lead.
As the late Kofi Annan once said:
“Resources are not curses. Mismanagement is.”
This partnership offers Africa a rare opportunity to get it right.
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