A recent claim made by Dino Melaye, a politician and former Senator representing Kogi West district in the 8th Assembly under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has sparked curiosity and calls for verification.
Melaye, who is currently vying for the governorship position in Kogi State, stated that Kogi possesses the largest uranium deposit in Nigeria. The Explainer fact-checking team took up the task of scrutinizing this claim to determine its accuracy.
Upon investigation, the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA), which is responsible for overseeing nuclear safety and radiation protection nationwide, has identified Adamawa, Bauchi, Cross River, Kano, Plateau, and Taraba as the states known to have uranium deposits in Nigeria. These findings contradict Melaye’s assertion about Kogi State.
Additionally, a comprehensive 2023 mineral resource map published by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency is also indicative of the absence of uranium deposits in Kogi State. The agency’s role revolves around collecting and disseminating information about the country’s rocks, minerals, and groundwater resources.
Given the available information from credible sources, it is apparent that the claim made by Dino Melaye regarding Kogi State possessing the largest uranium deposit in Nigeria is not substantiated by the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority’s findings nor by the mineral resource map published by the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency.
