Revenue, Jobs: Buni Champions Responsible Mining To Power Yobe’s Growth

The Yobe State governor Hon Mai Mala Buni has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting responsible mining as a key driver of economic resilience, youth employment, and revenue diversification in the state.

Speaking at the Mining Stakeholders Forum held in Damaturu, Gov. Buni said the Yobe Mining Development Company Limited remained the only agency authorised to deal with all exploration and mining activities across the state describing the company as the designated “One-Stop-Shop” of the government for all mining-related operations and investments.

A statement issued by the director general Press Affairs and Media to the Governor, Mamman Mohammed said Buni disclosed that Yobe State is richly endowed with mineral resources such as limestone, gypsum, kaolin, granite, quartz, and silica, among many others but yet, for decades, the nature’s gifts have remained grossly untapped and underutilised.

“The time has come to turn these hidden potentials into productive assets that will create jobs, generate wealth, and advance the socio-economic development of our people.”

“Our objective is to chart a coordinated course for growth of the mining sector in Yobe State, in a manner that aligns with federal policy, ensures community inclusion, attracts credible investors, and guarantees environmental responsibility.

“It is also our conviction that responsible mining, when properly managed, can become a major driver of our state’s economic resilience, youth employment, and revenue diversification_.

“We envision a mining sector that operates within a transparent regulatory framework; that upholds environmental sustainability and community benefit; that promotes public-private partnerships anchored on trust and accountability; that encourages local participation while attracting reputable foreign investment,” Gov. Buni said.

He urged stakeholders to focus on mineral mapping and data presentation to showcase Yobe’s potential, strengthen policy and institutional alignment, enhance investor engagement and incentives, and clarify the roles of communities and traditional institutions in the process.

The Commissioner for Commerce, Alhaji Kaigama Umar, commended Gov. Buni for his foresight in exploring new revenue streams for the state through the abundant solid mineral deposits spread across Yobe describing the governor’s economic diversification drive as visionary and timely.

Also, the Chairman, Board of Directors of the Yobe Mining Development Company, Engr. Muhammad Abubakar, lauded Governor Buni for his paradigm shift in the state’s revenue drive.

“Under your watch, Yobe State has moved away from dependence on federal revenue allocation to other sources to improve the revenue base of the state,” Abubakar said.

The Managing Director of the Yobe Mining Development Company, Engr. Bamodu Yerima has while speaking, disclosed that the company maintained a robust information repository for feasibility studies in three key mineral sectors of limestone for cement and hydrated lime production; gypsum for cement, fertiliser, and building materials; and trona (soda ash) for fertiliser, detergent, and glass production.

He noted that reputable consulting firms had been engaged through open and transparent procurement processes to prepare feasibility studies in line with international standards.

Yerima, noted that the company has also prioritised the organisation of artisanal and small-scale mining (ASM) operations across Fika, Fune, Gulani, Gujba, Yusufari, and Nangere local government areas with the artisanal miners been registered into cooperative clusters and provided with training, safety tools, and access to markets for their operations.

He further revealed that a Community Development Trust Fund has been established to reinvest 5–10% of project profits into education, health, and water infrastructure.

The Managing Director added that the company has engaged the Islamic Development Bank, African Development Bank (AfDB), BADEA, Afreximbank, and Africa Finance Corporation (AFC) for partnership projects in the mineral sector. Others include NEXIM Bank for export financing and beneficiation support, and the Bank of Industry (BOI) for value addition and SME linkages in mineral-based manufacturing, all reflecting growing global confidence in Yobe’s institutional reforms and industrial vision.

Stakeholders at the forum commended the Yobe State Government for the bold initiative of diversifying the state’s economy through solid minerals development, which they said holds strong potential for job creation, revenue generation, and inclusive economic growth.

Participants were drawn from across the country and abroad, including Germany, while several Memoranda of Understanding were signed between the Yobe State Government and various partners to advance the state’s mining agenda.