The Nigerian Government says the Mining Week Conference has shifted Global attention to the nation’s Mining sector in line with its vision of diversifying the economy from the age-long dependency on Oil to Solid minerals.”
The Minister of Solid Mine Iorals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake stated this in his closing remarks at the 8th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week in Abuja, the nation’s Capital.
The event was organised by the Miners Association of Nigeria and hosted by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development in partnership with PricewaterhouseCoopers, PWC, VUKA Group, and Mining Review Africa.
The Minister also said; “President Bola Tinubu is confident that Nigeria is on the right path, giving his support and collaboration for every effort that we make collectively to ensure translation of his vision in the Solid Minerals sector to reality for the benefit of not only Nigeria, but Africa and the entire World,” Dr. Alake stated.
On funding the Minerals sector, the Minister said the Nigerian government has made the intention to increase funding in the sector for an overall development.
He said; “I can assure you that the President has given his pledge to increase funding into this sector through the office of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals. With such funding we can then embark on those very significant steps that we need to take, such as generating the big data without which we cannot begin to talk about any serious implementation or execution of policies attracting the much serious Investment. So moving forward, we are going to invest heavily in big data generation, effect data that will enable investors both local and foreign to make informed decisions and judgement on areas where they want to operate to let them know what is where and how.”
On Security, Dr Alake said; “We are rejigging the security architecture we have on the ground and it is going to be inter security agency structure with a large dose of technology to ensure that those that are gently licensed will have a very peaceful environment to operate, reduce frictions between operators and their host communities, reduce acrimonies between operators and other levels of governments. We want to ensure that within the next couple of months and years, this sector contributes meaningfully and significantly to the Growth of Domestic Product GDP of Nigeria and it becomes the next critical resource of Nigeria’s economic survival.”
Also, in his closing remark, the President of the Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Ayanleke expressed optimism that the mining week conference would revive the Solid Mineral sector.
Ayanleke said; “We must reflect on the abstracts, and concrete lessons on knowledge gained in the course of various discussions through the conference sessions, technical workshops, business linkages that to add value to our effort and investment so that before this time next year, we have finding with testimony to share both in our individual endeavor and national economy.”
Meanwhile, the partner and Mining Leader, PWC Nigeria, Mr. Cyril Azobu, emphasized the significance of funding to the sector.
Azobu said; “The availability of funding is the key effort to encouraging that will to increase the activities within the mining sector, small scale miners who account the large majority within the nation have a vital role to play in poverty alleviation and rural development.
“We continue to implement and enforce stronger policies that protect and strengthen ASM through fomerlisation, provision of the right support, and market creation.’’
The theme of this year’s Nigeria’s 8th Edition Mining Week was “Capitalising on Nigeria’s Critical Mineral Resources For Economic Growth.”
Mercy Chukwudiebere
