Here is an overview of Dr. Stephen Davis
Dr. Stephen Davis has a distinguished career spanning over four decades, with extensive experience in the mining sector and significant contributions to conflict resolution and reconciliation efforts in Nigeria. He holds a PhD in political geography from the University of Melbourne.
Professional Experience:
• Mining Sector: With 40 years of experience in the mining industry, Dr. Davis served as a senior executive at WMC Limited (later Western Mining) during the 1990s. He has also held directorial roles at several mining companies, including Sunrise Mining Ltd, Trojan Mining Ltd, Comet Minerals Ltd, Putney Mining Ltd, and Jupiter Mining Ltd.
• Advisory Roles in Nigeria:
- Adviser to the Nigerian government, he was Special Advisor to President Olusegun Obasanjo (2004-2005) and Presidential Envoy for the Federal Republic of Nigeria under President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua (2007).
- He played a key role in formulating the strategy for restructuring Nigeria’s solid minerals industry, leading to the new Mining Act of 2007.
- He advised Shell in Nigeria from 2002 to 2004.
• Conflict Resolution and Peacebuilding:
- Dr. Davis was instrumental in negotiating the ceasefire, surrender, and disarmament of 5,000 militia members in the Niger Delta in 2004.
- He also negotiated and drafted the Peace Accord between Muslim jihadist groups in Northern Nigeria and the Federal Government in 2012.
- His work in the Niger Delta includes authoring a pivotal report on peace and reconciliation, which served as a blueprint for regional reconciliation efforts.
• International Centre for Reconciliation:
From 2005 to 2007, Dr. Davis served as Co-Director and Canon Emeritus at the International Centre for Reconciliation, Coventry Cathedral, UK. He oversaw the Cathedral’s global ministry of reconciliation, including 160 affiliated Cross of Nails reconciliation centers.
• Humanitarian Efforts:
Dr. Davis has been actively involved in humanitarian initiatives, including risking his life in an attempt to rescue the schoolgirls kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria.
Publications and Contributions:
Dr. Davis is an accomplished author, having written numerous articles and six books. His work often focuses on political geography, conflict resolution, and sustainable development in resource-rich regions.
Jupiter Project
The Jupiter Project is a cooperative of two Nigerian mining companies, Basin Mining and Range Mining which hold several minerals tenements in the southern region of Kaduna State, near the township of Kafanchan, Nigeria where they have each made significant discoveries of Lithium and Strategic Minerals. The tenements are contiguous and form one block of 462 sq kms.
The Nigerian companies have agreed to participate and co-operate in the development of their mineral discoveries under the umbrella of “Project Jupiter”. Based on the identified exposures, it is likely that this is a large, world class, lithium district which will become a prolific producer of high-grade lithium ore. This could provide the launch pad for a new Lithium industry in Nigeria which in turn could provide the essential precursor to Nigeria’s entry into the battery storage market and EV industry.
Interview with Stephen Davis to obtained quotes for profile
What is one quote that is important to you, that embodies who you are? What’s next, whatever the Lord sets before us.
When did you first become of aware you had a connection to Nigeria?
The execution of Ken Saro Wiwa and eight other Ogoni men in November 1995 was the single event that began my journey with Nigeria. Six years later I was asked by Shell to visit the Niger Delta and assess the social situation. I agreed to go because I wanted to see first hand what had been hidden from the world that was of such import as to cause nine men to be hanged. After seeing the environmental destruction from oil spills in the Niger Delta and the degradation in the life of local villagers that caused I saw the potential to make a contribution to healing the social wounds and setting in train a new direction in environmental management.
Your professional life has brought the diplomacy of politics together with the industry of mining? For you, how do they intersect?
In a country like Nigeria which is rich in natural resources the politics of the nation can mould and guide the way a nation develops and leverages its mineral potential for nation building or it can take another track to enrichment of oligarchs plundering the nation’s natural resources and driving the poor deeper into poverty. Politics cannot be divorced from the development of a nation’s natural resources.
How did these unique skills come into play in the attempt to rescue 270 schoolgirls kidnapped by terrorist group Boko Haram in Nigeria and 2012 drafting of the Peace Accord between Muslim jihadist groups in Northern Nigeria and the Federal Government of Nigeria?
In 2013 I worked with President Jonathan to craft and negotiate a Peace Accord with Jama’tu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad (JAS), the successor to the Yusufiya and the forerunner of Boko Haram. We reached agreement with the JAS whose leadership signed the Peace Accord in Abuja. Despite the support for the Peace Accord from President Jonathan the leadership of Nigeria’s security agencies rejected the Peace Accord and the JAS leaders fled the capital. In the weeks that followed they were hunted down and half were captured or killed. That precipitated a major shift and later alliance with ISIS. When the Chibok girls were kidnapped on 14 April 2014 there were a series of bombings in Abuja which meant that the Chibok kidnappings went without significant security attention for 24 hours allowing the kidnappers time to escape. Connections to members of the JAS opened the door to dialogue with those who were still looking for a way out of their situation and a return to their families. It was a journey through the border regions of Borno State in the North East of Nigeria with the support of President Jonathan and Governor Shettima of Borno State (now Vice President of Nigeria). We met with some success but had hoped for much more.
Professionally, how has your journey adapted through your 23 years working in Nigeria?
I have learnt each year in my association with Nigeria that I am a guest in Nigeria and have some experience that may make a contribution to Nigeria’s nation building but it is Nigerians who ultimately are the nation builders and make decisions about what is best for their country.
• You have doctorate in political geography, have a long history in mining…..But how would be describe yourself professionally?
I am a political geographer which is an area that has taken my family through some very interesting experiences in various parts of the world. We have been so fortunate that each of these experiences has helped various counties and people groups to a better, more secure life in some small way. In Nigeria that has played out as building a new community engagement structure for Shell, advising and representing the nation’s leaders, helping to bring conflicting parties to peace dialogues and building a world class mining project that will help Nigeria transition from oil and gas and open new industries such as EV battery manufacture.
• You have worked closely with two Nigerian Presidents, Olusegun Obasanjo and Umaru Musa Yar’Adua. What brought you to advise these renown leaders?
I have been privileged to have been a Special Advisor to President Obasanjo and then appointed Presidential Envoy by President Yar’Adua allowing me to represent Nigeria’s interests in special circumstances. While not having been an official advisor to President Jonathan I was privileged to work closely with him on a number of matters.
The Jupiter Project transcends beyond mining…What is the Heart of project Jupiter?
The Jupiter project is the culmination of 20 years of bringing Nigeria to the world stage as a new minerals destination. Jupiter is a world class lithium and critical minerals project that is of sufficient size and grade to support the an entire downstream value chain right through to production of EV batteries in Nigeria. This is not about mining and shipping ore out of Nigeria to create wealth for other nations. Jupiter is about creating wealth in Nigeria, for Nigerians. Jupiter will demonstrate to the world not only that Nigeria has world class mineral reserves but those minerals can be mined and processed successfully in Nigeria. That is what is needed to bring international investment into Nigeria’s mining sector to create a new, vibrant industry.
Why is Project Jupiter important for Nigeria now?
The Jupiter Project is a Tier 1, world class Lithium deposit and its development is the first step towards launching Nigeria’s Lithium battery and EV industry. The Jupiter Project is set to become Nigeria’s flagship mining project, launching Nigeria’s Lithium battery and EV industry and is a major contribution by Nigeria to reducing the world’s carbon emissions. This is a long await opportunity to launch Nigeria’s transition from dependence on oil and gas. Therein this is a crucially important project to the nation.
What is one gift to the world Nigeria has to offer?
Resilience and hope. I have heard so many times by political commentators that Nigeria will collapse, it will be a failed nation. But it never happens. It’s a very difficult time right now and the nation needs a reset. I hope the Jupiter Project and the development of the clean energy industry will provide some momentum to that reset. Its easy to say but enormously difficult to do. Nigeria must be master of its own destiny and in saying that my view is that Nigeria must develop its human capital in conjunction with its natural resources. Wherever possible there must be technology transfer with every project using foreign expertise and capital.
How has your faith underpinned your journey?
My wife, Julie, and I prayed a lot about moving to Nigeria. I spent six months making several trips to Nigeria assessing the situation in the Niger Delta to see if we could really make a positive contribution. The good Lord has been gracious with us and we have been in no doubt that God’s timing is right and we have been willing to go through the doors He has opened for us. So, being available and willing to take the opportunities the Lord puts before us has been crucial in meeting every challenge we met in our journey with the people of Nigeria.
Your life translates between mining executive, humanity advocate and your leadership in Christianity? What’s next?
What’s next …. Whatever the Lord sets before us. We are always open to the next opportunity. I hope we can continue our association with Nigeria offering our experience and working to continue nation building. Nigerians are wonderful people who have been very generous, gracious and kind to my family.
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