President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has restated his administration’s firm resolve to reposition the steel sector as the industrial heart of Nigeria and the hub of the nation’s economic diversification.
He said his administration plans to create 500,000 jobs from the revival of the sector.
Tinubu said, “We aim to create over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs. We have already developed a 10-year roadmap for the sector. We have outlined a three-year plan for the operationalisation of Ajaokuta. These plans focus on infrastructure, regulatory reform, and capacity development.”
Accordingly, he outlined his administration’s ongoing efforts to revamp legacy projects in the sector, such as the Ajaokuta Steel Company, the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria, the National Iron Ore Mining Company, and the Delta Steel Company (now called Premium Steel and Mines).
Speaking on Wednesday in Abuja, when he formally opened the Inaugural Stakeholders Summit on the Development of the Steel Sector in Nigeria, the President, who was represented at the event by Vice President Kashim Shettima, noted that his administration had established a solid bureaucracy to ensure the steel sector becomes the engine for national transformation.
He said this followed the creation and reconfiguration of the Ministry of Steel Development on assumption of office in 2023, with a mandate to lead the charge in industrialisation.
“It has been positioned as the fulcrum for economic diversification. It is a signal of our seriousness to extract, process, and commercialise our God-given endowments.
For many Nigerians, when we speak of steel, our minds return to Ajaokuta.
“We remember the promise of a crown jewel. For nearly fifty years, we have nurtured the dream of becoming a regional steel powerhouse. We are now ready to make that dream a reality.
We are not here to mourn missed opportunities. We are here to make the future,” he stated in a statement by Presidential spokesman, Stanley Nkwocha.
President Tinubu outlined some of his administration’s efforts at transforming the sector, including the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding with Tyazhpromexport (TPE) and its consortium “to rehabilitate and operate the Ajaokuta Steel Plant and the National Iron Ore Mining Company in Itakpe.
“In parallel, we have engaged other proposals from China and additional partners. A final decision is under careful review. A technical and financial audit of Ajaokuta, approved by the Bureau of Public Procurement, is ongoing. It will inform us of our next steps and shape investor selection.
“Our journey is not limited to old dreams. We are building new pillars. We have launched the construction of five mini-LNG plants in Ajaokuta. These are valued at over 500 million dollars. The project is in partnership with NNPC Limited and private sector stakeholders.
“We are also concluding an agreement with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria. This will enable the production of military hardware at the Ajaokuta Engineering Workshop,” he said.
According to the Nigerian leader, the federal government is currently establishing an Industrial Park within the Ajaokuta area to host a Free Trade Zone.
“It will include a gas park. It will house a military-industrial complex. All of these will draw from the infrastructure already in place. They will position Ajaokuta as the industrial heart of our nation,” he explained.
On ongoing efforts to revive the Aluminium Smelter Company of Nigeria in Ikot-Abasi, which he said had been stalled by long-standing legal and operational hurdles, President Tinubu said the current management had submitted a “new investment proposal of 465 million dollars,” adding that the six-year plan to restore full capacity would be announced after a detailed review of the Ministry’s recommendations.
Revealing plans to revamp other legacy assets in the sector, the President said. “The management of Delta Steel Company, now Premium Steel and Mines, has committed to begin rehabilitation and operations within 18 months. This will depend on the availability of raw materials.
“We have also attracted a new project by Stellar Steel, part of the Inner Galaxy Group. They are investing 400 million dollars to build a new plant in Ewekoro, Ogun State. This facility will produce hot-rolled coils and plates. It is a bold step toward import substitution and value addition.”
President Tinubu, however, implored the private sector to join hands with the government in revamping the sector, saying the government cannot actualise the plan alone.
“But we cannot do this alone. Government can lead. But the private sector must invest. Academia must innovate. Skilled workers must emerge,” he appealed.
Earlier in his opening address, Minister of Steel Development Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu assured stakeholders that the steel sector’s potential is obvious, from its market size to federal government incentives.
He noted that even though Nigeria is well-endowed with raw steel-making materials, it has yet to explore its potential for industrial development fully.
For his part, Senator Patrick Ndubueze, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Steel Development, said the summit serves as a platform to facilitate robust engagement among industry stakeholders, the international community, and others and effectively shape Nigeria’s steel industry value chain.
“The presence of His Excellency Asiwaju Bola Ahmed, GCFR, our President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, who is represented here by Vice President Kashim Shettima, to graciously declare this summit open, underscores the priority the Renewed Hope Administration places on industrialisation and economic diversification,” he added.
Also, the minister of industry, trade and investment, Dr. Jumoke Oduwole, emphasised that while Nigeria’s steel value chain offers untapped potential, the Tinubu administration, in line with the Nigeria First policy, is committed to promoting local value creation by prioritising domestic production and supporting the local economy.
We are committed to deep, sustainable value addition through streamlining approvals to attract and retain investors, ensuring transparent regulatory frameworks,” she added.
Minister for Solid Minerals Development Dele Alake maintained that the Nigerian steel industry is poised to move from stagnation to strength and from isolation to global relevance under President Tinubu’s leadership.
“Our goal is to position Nigeria as a steel hub of West Africa anchored on local beneficiation, sustainable practices, and public-private partnerships,” he said.
Also, the minister of transportation, Sa’idu Ahmed Alkali, noted that the event comes at a time when Nigeria is experiencing transformative reforms across all sectors of the economy, including the steel industry, as part of the federal government’s commitment to actualising the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Tinubu.
He expressed optimism that existing relevant policies, such as the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act and other related laws, will provide the framework to reposition the Nigerian steel industry.
For the minister of marine and blue economy, Adegboyega Oyetola, represented by Mrs Amaka Okereke, the gathering is a reminder that steel is not just a product, but a key enabler of Nigeria’s aspiration for national economic growth.
The minister stressed that in Nigeria, the revival of the nation’s steel sector holds the promise of reducing import dependence and enabling the growth of countries that rely on these vital resources.
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