Nigeria best destination for mining business- Adegbite

Favour Ishember, Abuja

The Minister, Mines and Steel Development, Arc Olamilekan Adegbite has stated that Nigeria is currently the best place for both foreign and local investors to invest in as the Nigerian Mining sector is still green and investors can reap maximum profits.

The Minister made this assertion during his briefing of members of the Press at the Pre-Event Press Conference for the Nigeria Mining Week held in at the Ministry’s Headquarters, Tuesday.

According to the Minister, the Mining Week apart from creating a window for foreign investors to be involved in the nation’s mining sector, noted that it would open opportunities for Nigerian miners to contact foreign technical partners as well as provide a platform for both local and foreign investors to interact with policy makers and stakeholders in the industry. Saying, “Nigeria need to attract the right investment in mining”.

Arc Adegbite while enumerating the various achievements of the Ministry, disclosed that the interactions at the Mining Week would avail investors the opportunity to know where to invest. He said “this year’s Mining Week promises to be the best as the sector has recorded many successes from the previous editions and we can now let investors know where exactly they can invest”.

In his remarks, the Minister of State Mines and Steel Development, Dr Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah, described the theme “Seven Reasons to Invest in the Nigeria Mining Sector” as apt as it would afford the Ministry the opportunity to showcase the critical successes it has achieved.

He noted that the country would benefit immensely from the Mining Week as it is a purely Investment driven event and would afford the Ministry showcase its over 44 minerals that abound across the country. He added that letting the world know what minerals the nation has would bring investors flooding into the country.

Also speaking, the President of Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), Alhaji Kabiru Kankara while revealing that the event would be virtual because of the Covid-19 Pandemic, disclosed that the Mining Week has contributed in raising global awareness to the huge potentiality of the nation’s mineral endowments. He said the objective of the event was to attract local and foreign investors to help transform the country’s over 44 minerals into national wealth.

He commended the leadership role of the Ministers and Permanent Secretary which has crystalized into major transformation in the industry and  appreciated the Ministry for its support.

Habib Jayeola, a member of PWC, Technical Experts, stated that the level of success achieved in the previous editions has given investors confidence to come to Nigeria.