By Obiabin Onukwugha
Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Extractives Industry Transparency Initiative, (NEITI), Dr Orji Ogbonnaya Orji, has stressed the need for Nigeria to diversify from oil to other natural resources to secure its economy and green energy future.
Such resources which he said, hold immense potentials for the country’s economy, include lithium, cobalt, nickel, and rare earths, maintains that they are now more valuable than oil.
Orji spoke at the 2025 West African Mining Host Communities Indaba organized by the Global Rights in Abuja on Wednesday.
He said: “The world is racing into the green energy future. If Nigeria does not act now and act boldly, we risk watching others turn their natural resources into national wealth while ours remain untapped and exploited.”
Orji, who presented the Keynote Address, emphasised that Nigeria’s mining laws are outdated relics that must be rewritten to protect communities and secure a just future.
He said despite NEITI’s report showing ₦1.9 billion GDP returns from the sector, the gap remains wide which, he said, proves that without urgent reforms, Nigeria could squander her mineral wealth once again.
The NEITI boss suggested that host communities should be treated as equal partners in the mining value chain, stressing that inclusivity means ensuring women and children are not left behind, but actively shaping sustainable growth at the highest levels.
He posited that the 2025 Indaba is not just another conference, but a decisive forum to place host communities at the centre.
“in schools, hospitals, and in the protection of lives and property. If Nigeria seizes this moment, her mineral resources will not just power batteries, but power a brighter and sustainable future for all,” he said.