Nigeria to build mineral centres
The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced plans to develop six mineral centres across the six geo-political zones of the country.
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake revealed the plans and said the initiative is a component of President Bola Tinubu’s administration’s strategy to diversify Nigeria’s economy by focusing on the solid minerals sector.
Dr. Alake explained that distributing the mineral processing centres across various zones is crucial since mineral resources are spread throughout the country. This approach ensures that no single zone monopolizes the mineral processing infrastructure, thereby promoting regional development and accessibility.
Objectives
The establishment of these centres is also aligned with the government’s objective to enhance value addition to Nigeria’s mineral resources. By processing and refining minerals domestically, the government aims to create multiplier effects that would benefit the economy significantly. Dr. Alake emphasized that future mining licences would only be granted to companies that present comprehensive plans for value addition.
The minister highlighted that historically, investors have exported raw minerals from Nigeria without adding value, which has resulted in substantial economic losses for the country. He pointed out that Nigerian Lithium, recognized for its high quality, often gets exported without the associated valuable minerals like nickel, cobalt, and copper being properly accounted for, thereby diminishing potential economic benefits.
This move by the government underscores a commitment to ensuring that Nigeria derives maximum economic value from its abundant mineral resources, fostering industrial growth, and reducing dependency on crude oil.
