The minister of Mines and Steel development, Abubakar Bwari, said Nigeria’s Solid minerals sector has contributed more than N10bn (ten billion naira) to the federation account in the last three years. The minister disclosed on Monday while rendering the account of his stewardship in the last 36 months.
TVC News Correspondent, Joke Adisa, reports that after three years in the saddle at the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bwari, is confident Nigeria is looking beyond oil, and mining will be the major economic activity.
He said significant inroads have been made in the sector with a gradual increase to the Gross Domestic Product from a paltry 0.03 per cent in 2015 to 0.6 per cent in 2018.
With more than forty four minerals in its kitty, Nigeria’s economy is on the brink of huge expansion with more investors daily attracted to the industry.
He also reiterated government’s efforts to get the Ajaokuta Steel Development Company up and running to strengthen its goal of job creation.
Nigeria’s Information Minister, Lai Mohammed and other key actors believe Nigeria is set to join the likes of China, Pakistan and Germany in making mining the core of its economy.
Dearth of data, funding, infrastructure deficit, capacity to monitor, and insecurity have held back mining in the past but these challenges are now being overcome and thee is hope of more successes recorded in the sector in the years ahead.
