Dukia Gold advances mine-to-market vision with SGS Bateman EPCM partnership

Nigeria’s ambition to deepen local mineral beneficiation and strengthen its position in the global mining value chain gained fresh momentum as Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Refining Company Limited formalised an Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) partnership with SGS Bateman, setting the stage for the structured execution of its flagship Dukia–Arinola polymetallic project.

The agreement marks a structured step forward for the Dukia–Arinola Mineral Resources Development Project, a polymetallic Mine-to-Market initiative located in Ose and Owo Local Government Areas of Ondo State within the Igarra Schist Belt (NGSA Owo Sheet 265). 

The project spans approximately 184 square kilometres and covers SSML-053234, ML-066732, and EL-038524 licences.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Dele Alake, Minister of Solid Minerals Development, in a statement reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for credible investors and technical partners. 

He assured foreign financiers and service providers that Nigeria’s status as a signatory to the Cape Town Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment provides internationally recognised protections for mining equipment and other mobile assets deployed into the country.

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According to the Minister, the Convention strengthens investor confidence by standardising transactions involving movable property, including leases, security interests and conditional sales agreements, while offering clear legal remedies in cases of default. 

He noted that this assurance framework is particularly critical for project finance, asset leasing and structured equipment procurement in capital-intensive mining ventures.

Alake described the Dukia–SGS Bateman partnership as emblematic of the future of mining in Nigeria, with a strong focus on local value addition, beneficiation and integrated Mine-to-Market development. 

He highlighted ongoing reforms in the sector, including improved regulatory clarity, streamlined licensing processes, investor-friendly fiscal incentives and infrastructure prioritisation, which he said are already contributing to measurable growth in mining’s share of GDP.

Alake emphasised that private-sector-led initiatives such as this align strongly with Nigeria’s economic diversification agenda and its aspiration to build a $1 trillion GDP economy by 2036. 

He noted that the project is expected to stimulate economic activity, create employment across skilled and semi-skilled categories, deepen local procurement and enhance Nigeria’s ability to efficiently connect mineral production to domestic and international markets by road, rail, air and sea.

He also extended an invitation to world-class mining contractors, engineering firms, equipment manufacturers and outsourced mining service providers to engage with the project as it moves into execution phases, noting that structured Requests for Proposals and Expressions of Interest will be issued across various workstreams. 

The Minister encouraged partnerships that incorporate capable Nigerian firms to strengthen local content participation and domestic value retention.

Tunde Fagbemi, chairman of Dukia Gold, said the MoU signals the beginning of a feasibility-driven and execution-focused phase for the project. 

He explained that the EPCM partnership will support process flowsheet development, metallurgical engineering, procurement strategy, project controls, construction management and commissioning support as the project advances toward disciplined implementation.

He added that the Dukia–Arinola Project has progressed through extensive technical work, including geological mapping, geochemistry, geophysics, trenching and diamond drilling. It is designed as a scalable polymetallic processing operation, enabling phased growth from early-stage production to large-scale industrial capacity over time.

Dukia Gold, Nigeria’s foremost precious metals refining and bullion trading company, operates a Mines-to-Market ecosystem spanning exploration, responsible mining, refining, bullion trading and digital gold products. 

The company aligns with OECD and LBMA responsible sourcing standards and supports artisanal and small-scale miners through nationwide buying centres.

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SGS Bateman, a globally recognised engineering and mineral processing solutions provider, brings extensive experience across major mining jurisdictions in Africa and international markets. Its expertise spans process engineering, procurement strategy, construction management and operational readiness for complex mineral processing projects.