The MoU marks a significant milestone in the structured advancement of the Dukia–Arinola Mineral Resources Development Project, located in Ose and Owo Local Government Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria, within the Igarra Schist Belt (NGSA Owo Sheet 265).
Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Refining Company Limited has signed an Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with SGS Bateman, a globally recognized engineering and mineral processing solutions provider with extensive capabilities across major mining jurisdictions, including Africa and international markets.
The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the 2026 Mining Indaba in Cape Town, South Africa.
The MoU marks a significant milestone in the structured advancement of the Dukia–Arinola Mineral Resources Development Project, located in Ose and Owo Local Government Areas of Ondo State, Nigeria, within the Igarra Schist Belt (NGSA Owo Sheet 265).
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Mr. Tunde Fagbemi, Chairman of Dukia Gold & Precious Metals Refining Company Limited, described the MoU as a strategic step toward feasibility-driven execution and long-term mineral beneficiation.
“This MoU marks the beginning of a structured EPCM partnership to advance the Dukia–Arinola Project toward feasibility and disciplined execution,” Fagbemi said.
He noted that the appointment represents a major execution milestone in Dukia Gold’s development roadmap and reinforces the company’s commitment to partnering with world-class technical organizations to deliver a scalable mineral beneficiation and processing platform.
The Dukia–Arinola Project is being advanced as a 2,000 tonnes-per-day (TPD) polymetallic processing system, designed with phased scalability to 40,000 TPD, subject to resource definition, technical studies, permitting, and financing.
Under the proposed scope of collaboration, SGS Bateman will support Dukia Gold across key workstreams including: Process design and flowsheet development for polymetallic ore types; engineering and project execution planning, and procurement strategy and contractor oversight.
Others are construction management, commissioning support and performance benchmarking.
SGS Bateman’s capabilities span process flowsheet development, metallurgical engineering, procurement strategy, project controls, construction management, commissioning support, and operational readiness for complex mineral processing projects.
The project spans approximately 184 km², structured across SSML-053234, ML-066732, and EL-038524 licenses, and has progressed through extensive technical work including geological mapping, geochemistry, geophysics, trenching, and diamond drilling.
In line with Dukia Gold’s updated corporate governance framework, the project is being advanced through a dedicated project vehicle — Arinola Mineral Resources Development Plc — structured to enhance transparency, ring-fence project risk, and support project finance readiness.
The EPCM partnership will further support metallurgical validation, procurement strategy, project controls, phased execution planning, ESG compliance, and responsible mining implementation.
Fagbemi reaffirmed Dukia Gold’s commitment to responsible mining and ESG compliance, including alignment with Nigeria’s mining regulations, structured community partnerships, and international sustainability standards.
“Our vision is simple: Nigeria must move from exporting raw minerals to building globally competitive beneficiation and refining capacity,” he stated.
“Today’s MoU with SGS Bateman marks the start of disciplined execution for the Dukia–Arinola Project — scaling from 2,000 to 40,000 tonnes per day and delivering real beneficiation and value addition for Nigeria.”
About Dukia Gold
Dukia Gold is Nigeria’s foremost precious metals refining and bullion trading company, operating a Mines-to-Market ecosystem spanning exploration, responsible mining, refining, bullion trading, and digital gold products.
The company sources, aggregates, and refines responsibly sourced gold and other precious metals into investment-grade bullion bars and coins. It also provides a secure platform for individuals and institutions to buy, sell, and invest in gold domestically and regionally.
Licensed as a refinery and aligned with OECD and LBMA responsible sourcing standards, Dukia Gold aims to deepen Nigeria’s participation in the global gold value chain, support artisanal and small-scale miners through nationwide buying centres, and deliver transparent, regulated precious metals trading services.
