The Joint National Assembly Committee on Solid Minerals has rejected the proposed N9 billion capital budget for the mining sector in the 2025 budget, emphasizing that the allocation falls drastically short of the investment required to position solid minerals as the cornerstone of economic diversification. Leading the debate during the budget defence session on Friday was the Chairman of the Joint Senate and House of Representatives Committee on Solid Minerals, Sen. Ekong Sampson. In the same vein, the Co-chairman and House Committee Chairman on Solid Minerals, Hon. We, as elected representatives, understand the urgent need to diversify our economy, and no sector holds more promise in this regard than solid minerals. Joining the debate, Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan emphasized that if Nigeria is serious about developing the mining sector, the 2025 budget proposal must be drastically reviewed upwards.