The Federal Government is making efforts to end the era of exporting raw mineral ores from Nigeria, describing the method as non-beneficial to the country.

Speaking at the 40th Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Metallurgical Society (NMS) on Thursday in Abuja, the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, emphasised the need to grow the nation’s economy through value-added export of metals and iron.

He noted that the “era of exporting raw mineral ores without beneficiation must give way to an integrated value-chain approach.

“Our focus is now on in-country value addition, from exploration and mining to smelting, refining, fabrication, and finished products.”

Audu explained that the Federal Government is determined to promote the local refining of metallic ores such as iron, tin, lead, zinc, and lithium.

He said the government is committed to the development of clusters for metallurgical processing and fabrication; strengthened collaboration between industry, research institutions, and academia for technology transfer and innovation; and creating incentives for investors who demonstrate commitment to downstream development and job creation.

Represented at the meeting by Christopher Wamje, the Minister reaffirmed that “through these actions, we envision a Nigeria where our mineral wealth catalyses sustainable industrial growth, supports infrastructure expansion, and contributes significantly to GDP.

“Nigeria is abundantly endowed with over 44 distinct mineral resources, distributed across all geopolitical zones. Yet, for too long, our national economy has remained overly dependent on hydrocarbons, while the vast potential embedded in our mineral endowments remains largely untapped.

“The metallurgical sector, which bridges mineral extraction and industrial production, occupies a central position in this transformation agenda. It provides the essential link between the mining industry and manufacturing, infrastructure, defence, transportation, and energy sectors.

“Metallurgy is not just a technical discipline; it is the foundation upon which industrial capacity, technological advancement, and national competitiveness are built.

“As we strive to unlock our mineral wealth, the expertise and commitment aof metallurgists will determine how efficiently and sustainably we convert natural endowments into economic prosperity,” he stated.

On his part, the President of the Nigerian Metallurgical Society (NMS), Dr Fidelis Achiv, said the organisation was established in 1978.

“We bring all our members together, captains of industry that have issues to do with metallurgy, to deliberate on matters that can make progress. We bring government agencies and other stakeholders to discuss the way forward for the metallurgical industry,” he stated.

The conference, with the theme ‘Unlocking Nigeria Mineral Resources: Exploration, Extraction, and Value Addition’, seeks to create awareness on wealth creation through the value-added chain export.

Copyright © 2022 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).