Federal Government says economic hardship in Nigeria is painful but necessary.

The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, said that Nigeria’s current economic hardships are painful but necessary for the country’s transition to a resilient and sustainable economy.

Alake made the remarks during the inaugural Solid Minerals Excellence Awards (SOMEA) ceremony in Abuja.

He described the nation’s economic transformation as a decisive move toward long‑term prosperity, industrial growth and national development, driven by bold reforms and strategic leadership.

The minister highlighted that President Bola Tinubu’s administration remains committed to implementing difficult but essential reforms to tackle corruption, weak institutions, economic instability and the country’s overreliance on oil revenue.

“Effective leadership must be driven by vision, knowledge and courage,” he said.

Alake added that meaningful national progress can only be achieved through policies that prioritize long‑term national interests rather than short‑term political gains.

He noted that President Tinubu is determined to reposition the economy, and that reforms previously avoided by earlier administrations due to political resistance are now being enacted to spur future growth.

Drawing a comparison with Lagos State’s transformation, the minister said that initially controversial reforms eventually led to improved revenue generation, stronger institutions and economic expansion.

He identified the mining sector as a strategic pillar of the economic diversification agenda under President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope programme.

“The ministry has undertaken comprehensive reforms targeting illegal mining, weak regulatory structures, insecurity, dormant licences and lack of transparency in the sector,” he said.

Alake added that digitising mining operations and licensing processes has increased transparency, simplified licence acquisition and attracted more investors.

The minister reported that the government has strengthened enforcement at mining sites by expanding the Mining Marshals initiative, deploying over 2,000 personnel nationwide to combat illegal mining. This effort has led to arrests, prosecutions and improved compliance among operators.

He emphasized the importance of local value addition and domestic processing of minerals to drive industrialisation, job creation and technology transfer.

Earlier, Yusuf Yabo, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, said the awards ceremony reflected the federal government’s commitment to positioning the mining sector as a globally competitive engine of economic growth.

Yabo also noted that the celebration recognised partnerships, investments, innovation and transformation under the minister’s leadership.

Oladunmi Owo, president of SOMEA, described the initiative as a platform to honour contributions to reforms and sustainable development in the sector.

Omar Sahinolu, chief executive officer of D‑Gold, highlighted responsible mining practices, transparent governance and technological innovation.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that awards were later presented to distinguished individuals and organisations for their contributions to Nigeria’s solid minerals industry.

The agency said that SOMEA was conceived to promote innovation, sustainability, responsible mining and to attract investment in Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, supporting economic diversification.

The awards, themed “Unlocking the Future”, unveiled winners across high‑impact categories that reflect the sector’s direction.

Honoured categories included Leading Mining Company of the Year, Excellence in Sustainable and Safe Operations, and Outstanding Contribution to Sector Growth, among others.

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