The National Agency for Science and Engineering Infrastructure NASENI has called for a national policy that will stop the export of Nigeria’s solid minerals overseas.
The call also seeks domestication of the processing of raw materials and local manufacturing of the end-products from such minerals and raw materials.
This move was revealed by the Executive Vice Chairman of NASENI, Dr. Bashir Gwandu when he received the Director-General of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency NGSA, Dr. Abdulrazaq A. Garba who was in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.
The two Agencies agreed to seek areas of possible collaborations on how to domesticate processing or value addition to abundant mineral resources in the country, converting them into products that will create jobs, add value to the economy and thereby end capital flights through the encouragement of potential investors to set up manufacturing plants in Nigeria for local production.
Speaking at the meeting, the EVC of NASENI said “Nigeria has so many raw materials and must focus on domestication of her solid minerals through a policy that could stop the exportation of raw materials and encourage investors, especially by requesting that those foreign companies should establish their factories in Nigeria and also to produce locally.“
Citing example of Lithium which is in large quantities across the country, Dr. Gwandu said illegal miners are exporting thousands of tons of Lithium weekly without knowing the value of the mineral.
He explained that since electric car batteries could be made from lithium, he has invited some foreign companies including Chinese investors to discuss ways of ensuring that Lithium batteries are manufactured locally in Nigeria.
“We have a lot of graphite in Nigeria and lithium graphite is cheaper. Battery production has seven stages. We have invited some Chinese companies. We want to start from assembling plant while we are waiting for actual production of raw materials for the production of lithium battery. We can develop capacities even before we can have the factory,” he stated.
Dr Gwandu insisted that production of goods that would have a direct impact on Nigeria’s economy must be encouraged in order to avoid capital flight.
“We can use our resources in areas of technology. It will be good if we put a policy that will limit export of raw materials so that those foreign companies will come and partner with us and produce locally.”
The NASENI boss pointed out that the Agency wanted to partner with other agencies that will work on the compositions of the raw materials in the country and make sure the raw materials were locally produced into end products that will add value to the economy, adding that Agency was ready to work with NGSA on solid minerals that could benefit Nigeria.
The Director-General of NGSA, Dr Abdulrazaq Garba, explained that he was excited that NASENI established an Institute in Nasarawa state for solid materials research, promising that he would work with NASENI on creation of more laboratories for scientific researches.
“There is need for Nigerian Agencies to work together in ensuring that the raw materials scattered all over the country are harmonized and their processing domesticated as it will not only add value to the nation’s economy but create jobs and wealth as well”. He said.
Explaining further Dr Garba said the agency already have the composition and details of the location of many of the raw materials.
“What we need is to work together to domesticate the processing and manufacturing of industrial minerals. So, we are here to seek collaboration on technological development and domestication of the processing of our industrial minerals,” he stated.
The high point of the event was the formal handing over to NASENI, by the Director General of NGSA, the country’s Geological map, showing numerous minerals deposits, rocks and various raw materials endowments possessed by Nigeria.
The two Agencies agreed to take the issue of national policy to ban the exportation of minerals in the country to the highest levels of government.
PIAK
