The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has said gold mined in the country is being exported illegally to the United Arab Emirates.

He stated that the significant volume of this illegal gold trade undermines the potential for a partnership aimed at economic growth.

To solve this issue, the minister has made a case for enhanced trade relations between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates, emphasizing solid minerals.

Speaking while receiving the UAE Ambassador to Nigeria, Ambassador Salem Al Shamsi, in his office in Abuja, Alake reflected on the historical significance of the over 50-year robust relationship between the two nations