Mary Ogbe, permanent secretary of the Federal Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, says the solid minerals sector is on the rise and has already surpassed its 2024 revenue target of N10 billion as of September 2024.
Ogbe revealed this while speaking with newsmen at the business meeting /business networking day heralding the 9th edition of the Nigeria Mining Week which began on Monday in Abuja.
She said, “The Ministry of Solid Minerals Development has put in so much in the last year, and at the end of this session, we expect that Nigeria, as well as the whole world, will get to know that the mining sector in Nigeria is on the rise.”
Speaking on Nigeria’s solid minerals transformative journey, Ogbe said the sector’s journey is marked by bold policies, ground-breaking regulations and strategic initiatives that are reshaping the nation’s economic landscape.
“We are not merely refining an industry, we are building a resilient and inclusive mining powerhouse that taps into the vast potential of our land and its people.”
She noted that the administration’s approach is dynamic and uncompromising, laying the groundwork for a sector that not only competes on the global stage but also uplifts communities, nurtures local talent and drives Nigeria’s sustainable future forward.
“Each step we take, each policy we craft, underscores a deep-seated commitment to value creation and a forward-thinking vision that redefines what mining can mean for Nigeria.”
She noted that under the leadership of Dele Alake, minister of Solid Minerals Development, the ministry has introduced a 7-point Agenda designed to transform Nigeria’s mining sector into a powerhouse of economic growth and development.
“We are also doing well in the aspect of revenue generation. And we can only just keep getting better. By September, we had exceeded our target revenue and so at the end of the year, I’m sure that they would have exceeded even much more.”
In her remarks, Lolade Ososami, partner, Udo Udoma and Belo-Osagie, stressed the need for security to boost investor confidence.
In her words, “So I think that the first thing we need in government is to address the issue of insecurity. We need to boost confidence locally and internationally such that at least when you have a license, you can access your site.
“In terms of the legislative and regulatory framework, we are not doing too badly. In terms of the regulatory framework, some work could also be done. I think that if all these are properly harnessed, we can have a robust regulatory framework.”
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