By Danjuma Amodu | January 19, 2026
The Northern Elders Forum (NEF) has accused the Federal Government of violating Nigeria’s constitutional federal character principle by allowing a newly commissioned gold refinery to operate in Lagos, far from the country’s gold producing states in the North.
In an open letter dated 18 January 2026, signed by NEF spokesperson, Professor Abubakar Jika Jiddere and addressed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the Federal Executive Council, the forum argued that siting the refinery in Lagos contravenes Sections 14(3), 16(1)(b) and 162(2) of the 1999 Constitution.
It claimed the move strips Northern communities of industrial jobs, technology transfer and economic benefits, reinforcing “structural concentration of wealth” in the South West.
“Nigeria’s decision to refine gold far from its source is economically regressive and reminiscent of colonial extractive models,” the NEF stated, warning that continued exclusion of the North from value addition could deepen poverty, unemployment, insecurity and regional resentment. The group demanded at least one primary gold refinery be located in Northern states such as Zamfara, Kebbi, Niger, Kaduna or Katsina, while Lagos could serve as a trading and certification hub.
The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development debunked the allegations, describing them as “a parade of ignorance in the service of mischief.”
In a statement signed by the Minister’s Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, the ministry clarified that the refinery is a 100 per cent privately owned venture by Kian Smith, a Nigerian mining company, and that the government has no constitutional power to compel private investors to choose particular locations.
The ministry added that three additional gold refineries and several other mining projects are under development across Nigeria, reflecting the success of its value‑addition policy.
It accused the NEF of failing to conduct basic due diligence and warned that such rhetoric could fuel mistrust and agitation.
Despite the clarification, the NEF maintained that the issue goes beyond ownership, touching on economic justice, federal balance and national cohesion.
The forum warned that:
“A region denied value addition will not remain calm forever,” describing the refinery decision as a test of leadership and constitutional fairness.
