Nigeria’s First Lady, Oluremi Tinubu, says improved security in Nigeria is necessary to reassure investors and unlock the country’s resource potential.
“We’re doing all we can to make sure that when investors come, they can feel comfortable and their investment can yield,” she said while meeting officials during a visit to the United States.
Nigeria holds significant deposits of lithium, cobalt, and other critical minerals that have drawn international interest, but insecurity in some regions continues to pose risks to exploration and development.
Tinubu said the government is taking steps to address those concerns through nationwide security interventions.
She noted that authorities have declared a security emergency, expanded police recruitment, and reassigned more than 11,000 officers from protective duties to conflict-affected areas.
“We are concerned about our people’s safety,” she said.
Addressing international criticism, particularly claims that attacks disproportionately target Christian communities, Tinubu said the situation is more complex and involves multiple armed groups.
“We live in Nigeria. We know the situation on the ground,” she explained, adding that insurgents and criminal gangs operate in forests and rural zones across different regions.
Her remarks come amid renewed global attention following recent U.S. airstrikes on militant targets in north-west Nigeria, a development she said Abuja welcomed as part of broader efforts to restore order.
