Nigeria’s mining sector is gaining momentum, with high demand for the services of the newly established 2,220-man Mining Marshals. Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Oladele Alake in a press release from the Ministry, reported that three firms requested the Marshals’ services within a two-hour period, resulting in arrests in several states. Alake highlighted the progress made in implementing the Seven-Point Agenda, which aims to reposition the mining sector.
He noted that 152 new co-operatives have been established, and efforts to generate comprehensive data on mineral deposits are underway.
The press release further stated that Dr. Alake noted that other aspects of the roadmap including the revised guidelines for Community Development Agreement (CDA) which makes it mandatory to get the consent of host communities before application for mining licenses is already operational whilst revocation of dormant licenses and the inclusion of plans for value addition alongside application for licenses is now a federal government policy.
“The importance of data for investors cannot be overemphasized. With accurate data, investors will be able to project the commercial value of mineral deposits and make informed investment decisions. We have signed an MOU with German firm, GeoScan GmBN, and we are making strenuous efforts to partner with scientific and data-driven agencies, renowned globally, to be able to generate the requisite big geo-data that will attract international big players”, He said
The Minister emphasized the importance of data in attracting investors and announced partnerships with global agencies to achieve this goal. Additionally, Alake reported that the Nigerian Solid Minerals Corporation is being established, with a private-sector driven structure, and that efforts to market the sector are yielding results, including interest from global mining company Glencore.
The Minister charged NIPSS to utilise the summit to synthesise suggestions and advance recommendations that will assist the federal government in sustaining the development of the mining sector.
