Dele Alake, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, has sought collaboration with Saudi Arabia to strengthen Nigeria’s mining capacity and boost exploration activities.

In a statement on Tuesday, Segun Tomori, Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, said Alake spoke during a meeting with Ibrahim Al-Khorayef, Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources.

According to Tomori, the meeting was held ahead of the Future Minerals Forum (FMF), scheduled to take place from January 13 to January 15 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Alake said Nigeria is emerging as Africa’s leading minerals hub under the ministry’s value-addition policy, with lithium and gold projects driving growth in the sector.

He said key projects include a gold refining plant in Lagos, three additional gold refineries currently under development, and a N600 million lithium processing plant in Nasarawa state that is ready for commissioning.

The minister commended Saudi Arabia for expanding collaboration opportunities across Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Europe through the Future Minerals Forum, while expressing Nigeria’s willingness to deepen partnerships in solid minerals development.

“There are areas of comparative advantage where Saudi Arabia excels and others where Nigeria has strengths,” he said.

“We are keen on structuring agreements that will enable us engage meaningfully and constructively.

“Priority areas include capacity building, training of mining professionals, technology transfer, and particularly exploration, where Saudi Arabia has demonstrated some expertise.”

Alake also said Nigeria’s vast landmass is endowed with critical minerals and rare earth elements required by the global economy, stressing the need for fair and equitable partnerships through the FMF platform.

He noted that a joint working group comprising members of the Nigerian delegation and the Saudi Chamber of Commerce has been active, with its report ready for presentation at the forum, following engagements after FMF 2025.

The minister added that mineral traceability, environmental, social and governance (ESG) standards, and mine-pit remediation are priority areas for collaboration.

On his part, Al-Khorayef reaffirmed Nigeria’s status as a longstanding ally of Saudi Arabia and agreed on the need for a practical and actionable agreement on solid minerals development.

The Saudi minister proposed that the joint working group develop a draft memorandum of understanding (MoU), based on previous engagements, for possible signing on the sidelines of the conference.

In December 2025, the Nigerian solid minerals ministry said the sector is poised for significant growth, with revenue expected to reach N70 billion in 2025, from N38 billion in 2024.

The US State Department says it has revoked over 100,000 visas since President Donald Trump returned to the White House last January for a second term.

In November 2025, the State Department said 80,000 visas had been revoked since January.

The majority of the revocations involved business and tourist travellers who overstayed their visas.

In an X post on Monday, the State Department said 8,000 of the revoked visas were held by students, while 2,500 specialised workers also lost their legal status.

A department spokesperson added that most of the students and workers whose visas were revoked had criminal encounters with law enforcement.

Nearly 500 students lost visas for drug possession and distribution, while hundreds of foreign workers lost visas because they were believed to be abusing children, according to a department spokesperson.

Half of the revocations for specialised workers were based on drunken driving arrests.

Last August, the Trump administration announced it was reviewing all 55 million foreigners who have valid US visas.

“We will continue to deport these thugs to keep America safe,” the state department wrote in the X post.

When Trump began his second term, he declared a national emergency at the southern border in his inaugural address and promised to tackle “illegal” immigration.

The US has since tightened its visa requirements, announcing changes in its visa policies and implementing travel restrictions on multiple countries, including Nigeria.

The Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) has suspended its planned nationwide strike, scheduled to begin today, 12 January. It said the suspension of the strike is due to fresh commitments from the federal government and key health sector stakeholders.

The association announced the decision after a virtual emergency National Executive Council (E-NEC) meeting held on Sunday, saying the suspension would last until 25 January, when it plans to review progress made on its demands.

The development comes days after the National Industrial Court of Nigeria issued an interim order restraining NARD and its members from embarking on the planned strike, pending the hearing of a substantive motion fixed for 21 January.

In a communique signed by its Secretary-General, Shuaibu Ibrahim, NARD said the decision to suspend the resumption of the strike was “strategic and conditional,” allowing time to assess progress made through engagements with key government institutions.

The association said it resolved to halt the resumption of its Total, Indefinite and Complete Strike (TICS 2.0) following “firm commitments” from critical stakeholders, including the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, the Federal Ministry of Finance, and other agencies involved in health sector administration.

It also cited the involvement of the National Assembly, the State Security Service, and direct presidential intervention led by Vice President Kashim Shettima, acting on behalf of President Bola Tinubu.

“This suspension is strategic and conditional, allowing room to objectively review tangible progress at the January NEC meeting commencing 25 January 2026,” the communique said.

On 9 January, the National Industrial Court, Abuja, restrained NARD, its members, agents and privies from embarking on the planned nationwide strike.

Justice Emmanuel Subilim issued the interim order while ruling on an ex parte motion filed by the federal government and the Attorney-General of the Federation.

The court barred the association from “calling, directing, organising, participating in or embarking upon any form of industrial action,” including strikes, picketing or work stoppages, pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice fixed for 21 January.

NARD was granted liberty to apply to vary or discharge the order.

The association, however, did not reference the court order in its statement announcing the suspension of the strike resumption.