The National Assembly has called on the Federal Government to fully release the capital funds allocated to the solid minerals sector, saying the industry has the potential to reduce Nigeria's dependence on oil.

The appeal was made during the 2026 Ministerial Solid Minerals Retreat in Abuja, which focused on accelerating reforms and aligning the sector with the Federal Government's Seven-Point Agenda.

Outgoing Chairman of the House Committee on Solid Minerals, Jonathan Gaza, said ongoing reforms by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development have improved the sector, noting that optimisation of the mining cadastral system resulted in the revocation of between 3,000 and 6,000 inactive mining licences, while annual revenue increased from ₦8 billion to about ₦70 billion.

Gaza urged the Federal Government to give the sector greater financial support by releasing the approved capital budget, saying adequate funding would enable the industry to significantly increase revenue generation and strengthen its contribution to Nigeria's economy.