… as ACCI, MCO collaborate for maiden Int’l Mining Policy Conference
The Director-General of the Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), Engr. Obadiah Simon Nkom has called on ACCI investor-community to take advantage of the lucrative potential of strategic minerals of the future by investing in them, saying that tactical investment in certain minerals would be highly rewarding.
He said, “Globally, the seven strategic minerals which are gold, lead, zinc, iron ore, baryte, lithium, tin and tantalum will be in high demand for production of electric powered devices,” noting that Nigeria is abundantly blessed with the strategic minerals.
According to the Director General who spoke during a visit of the delegation of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), led by the Vice President, Mining, Dr. Johnson Kanayo Anene who is also the Chairman, ACCI Mining Trade Group, to the MCO Head Office in Abuja, “the demand for the strategic minerals is a new development in the world economy,” adding that the minerals would be instrumental in the production electric devices and batteries.
“Nigeria is blessed with such basic solid minerals that are now billed to power world economy in the next few years,” he said.
Earlier, Dr. Anene informed the Director General of ACCI plan to host an annual International Mining Policy Conference with the first edition scheduled to hold in 2022.
MCO Head of Media and Publicity, Folasade Fatoke who confirmed the development to our correspondent in Abuja, said the Director General, who welcomed the idea of the conference, said a new development within the world economy is causing a high demand for certain minerals available abundantly in Nigeria.
He therefore reiterated the need for partnership between government and private sector to sustain investment drive and fully develop the solid mineral sector.
He encouraged intense participation of the private sector in mining investment, stressing that the private sector should take advantage of the opportunities and collaborate with government to evolve a thriving mining industry in Nigeria.
“We need the private sector to invest and partner with government in order to take advantage of this new and numerous opportunities and take the mining sector to the next level,” Engr Nkom said.
He assured the investors that conducive business environment has been provided by government’s reform, adding that the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari through the ministers has provided the enabling environment for investments to thrive in the solid mineral sector.
Dr. Anene earlier explained that ACCI is seeking partnership with the relevant government agencies for the One Day conference that intends to bring all mining sector stakeholders together.
Anene, who was accompanied by the Director, Policy Centre ACCI, Mr. Olawale Rasheed, explained that as part of ACCI support, the policy conference is expected to attract investment to the mining sector. “We want to support government to attract investment to mining sector through an integrated investment and policy conference with local and international partners.”
“We need to collaborate with government agencies to hold such event so as to sustain the investment drive into the sector for the benefit of all.”
