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DELE ALAKE: SILENT ACHIEVER AND TRANSFORMATIVE LEADER IN SOLID MINERALS DEVELOPMENT.
By
Dr. Felix Babatunde Ale
Few public figures in Nigeria embody the rare blend of journalism, activism, technocracy, and statesmanship as the Honourable Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Federal republic of Nigeria, Mr Dele Alake.
Since his assumption of office, Alake has demonstrated a visionary approach that has repositioned the critical sector as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda.
His inspiring performance has been widely acknowledged and applauded as the best in the history of the ministry, marking him out as one of the silent achievers of the Renewed Hope Agenda of the present administration under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Under Alake’s stewardship, the ministry of Solid Minerals Development has witnessed unprecedented reforms.
He has introduced policies to attract foreign investment, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and ensure transparency in mining operations.
His emphasis on sustainability and community engagement reflects a deep understanding that solid minerals development must benefit not just investors but also the Nigerian people.
In a sector long plagued by inefficiency, Alake’s leadership has brought clarity, direction, and renewed hope.
On investment Inflows and Sector Confidence, Nigeria’s solid minerals sector has attracted $3 billion in investments within three years, spanning lithium, gold, and other strategic minerals.
This is unprecedented given the long gestation periods typical of mining projects, signaling strong investor confidence in Alake’s reforms.
Alake has championed policies to end the export of raw minerals, insisting on local beneficiation and value addition.
His vision is to transform Nigeria from a supplier of raw materials into a hub for industrialization, job creation, and technological advancement.
Under the transparent Grant Schemes (EMERGE Programme), he launched the Early-Stage Mineral Exploration and Research Grant Endowment (EMERGE), providing dedicated funding for geoscience and mineral-processing research.
Grants are awarded strictly on merit, administered independently by PwC, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Dele Alake has been honoured with the African Leadership Public Service Excellence Award for his reforms and elected as Pioneer Chairman of the African Minerals Strategy Group (AMSG), positioning Nigeria at the forefront of continental resource management.
As Plato once observed, “The measure of a man is what he does with power.” Alake has wielded power not for selfaggrandizement but for the transformation of a critical sector, ensuring that Nigeria’s vast mineral wealth becomes a blessing rather than a curse.
Before politics, Alake distinguished himself as a frontline journalist in Nigeria and Africa.
His enviable track record as Editor of both the Sunday Concord and National Concord newspapers, and his tenure as Vice President of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, cemented his reputation as a media icon.
In the field of journalism, colleagues like myself regard him as a highly revered senior professional, boss and role model.
His intellectual depth and mastery of communication were further demonstrated during his tenure as Honourable Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Lagos State. I recall vividly, during my service as Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Ondo State, how Alake redefined the role of information management in governance.
No other person has succeeded in handling the Lagos State Ministry of Information and Strategy as effectively as he did.
I recall with nostalgia the launch of my international magazine Africanmast in January 2005 at the Lagos Airport Hotel, Ikeja. Dele Alake, then Commissioner for Information and Strategy, represented the then Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Special Guest of Honour.
The occasion witnessed the declaration of Tinubu as Nigeria’s best performing governor and the conferment of a Special Merit Award by the First United Global Foundation, USA.
Responding on behalf of his principal, Alake delivered a profound distinction between propaganda and publicity.
He explained that the effective publicity accorded to Tinubu’s success stories in Lagos State was anchored not on propaganda but on the realities on ground.
That moment revealed Alake’s intellectual honesty and his belief in excellence, integrity, hard work, and loyalty.
Alake’s historic role in the prodemocracy struggle that culminated in the restoration of democratic governance in Nigeria remains indelible. He stood firm against authoritarianism, lending his voice and intellect to the cause of freedom.
His conferment with a National Honour by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu during the 2026 Democracy Day celebration was therefore not a surprise. It was a welldeserved recognition of his unique contributions to Nigeria’s democratic journey and national development.
Dele Alake is indeed a rare personality—a distinguished Nigerian, a pride to journalism in Africa, and a tested technocrat whose silent but impactful achievements continue to shape Nigeria’s destiny.
His life embodies the principle articulated by an American philosopher, Ralph Waldo Emerson: “The reward of a thing well done is to have done it.” Alake’s reward lies not in accolades but in the enduring impact of his work on Nigeria and humanity —transforming Nigeria’s solid minerals sector, strengthening democracy, and inspiring generations of journalists and technocrats.
His reforms in solid minerals development are the most impactful in Nigeria’s history, and his recent recognition with a National Honour in 2026 was both deserved and inevitable.
Nigeria and Africa celebrate him as a pride to journalism and a visionary leader in resource management.
I congratulate him once again on his welldeserved National Honour and wish him continued success in all his endeavours.
Dr. Felix Babatunde Ale is a Media Scholar, AwardWinning Journalist, and Prominent Science Communicator in Africa
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