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. Gaza Gbefwi condemned the reduction of the proposed N531 billion 2025 capital expenditure proposal to N9 billion, describing it as a disservice to the sector, which he argued is crucial for generating revenue beyond oil. In a unanimous voice vote, Sen.