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Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite has said that the Ministry is ready to partner with the Barite Miners Association and Processors in the mining of Barite to deepen productivity and promote meaningful and measurable development to the economy.

As the Federal government strives to diversify the economy through Mining and Steel Sector, the revitalization of Ajaokuta Steel Company to produce optimally is of utmost concern to the present administration, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite stressed this when he received the Russian Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Alexey Shebarshir in his office.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD), Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite has advocated Public Private Partnership (PPP) for a sustained growth and development in the mining sector that would enhance economic growth.

Today marks the beginning of a new era in the history of Ministry of Mines and Steel Development as the management and staff of Ministry of Mines and Steel development regard the deployment of Architect Olamilekan Adegbite and Dr. Uchechukwu Sampson Ogah as the round pegs in round holes. The ministry hopes that with the caliber of ministers sent to it, there is no doubt going to be total transformation to meet its expectation by the present administration

Artisanal, or small scale miners, have denied links between their activities and insecurity in parts of the country.

Recent reports had linked artisanal miners to the escalation of banditry and killings in the country, particularly Zamfara State, where hundreds of lives have been lost in attacks on local communities by bandits.

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development is to partner the Nigerian Institution of Metallurgical, Mining and Materials Engineers (NIMMME) in manpower training in the sector.

This was the high point of discussion when the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Arc. Olamilekan Adegbite received the Executives of the Nigerian Institution of Metallurgical, Mining and Materials Engineers, who paid a courtesy visit on him on thursday, 5th September, 2019.

The Hon. Minister stated that the Federal Government is concerned about the dangers associated with informal mining activities and have taken steps to organize the operators in the informal mining into co-operatives.

The Minister of State, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, has said the ministry is set to increase the sector’s contribution to the national GDP from 0.3% to 3% in 2019 and 10% to 15% by 2025

I am delighted for the opportunity to lead the delegation from the Federal Government of Nigeria to the 4^th International India Steel Conference and Exhibition in view of the role Steel plays in the modern economy. I thank the organizers of this conference especially the Ministry of Steel, Government of India, and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry, for the assemblage of Steel stakeholders from different parts of the world and for inviting me to this conference.

Aware of the role of the Steel sector in creating a base for Nigeria’s industrialization, the Nigerian delegation attending this conference consists of the technical heads of our 

It gives me great pleasure to address you on the activities and achievements of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, and the Mining Sector, in the last three years of our stewardship.

As part of the usual practice of ministers to give periodic reports of their sectors, I am using this opportunity to brief you on what we have done since November 11, 2015 when President Muhammadu Buhari assigned

Today was indeed a memorable day at the Mining Cadastre Office, Abuja as the out-going Director-General of the agency, Engineer Amate, who has put in a meritorious service to the nation handed over mantle of leadership to the in-coming helmsman, Engineer Obadiah Simon Nkom.

Speaking at the occasion, he expressed happiness for having accomplished set goals in the agency and being opportune to successfully hand over the affairs and activities of the agency to Engr Nkom. He acknowledged the hard working, skilled and competent staff of the firm and urged them to extend cooperation and assistance, which he graciously enjoyed to the new Director-General to facilitate the growth of the agency, sector and the Nation at large

The senior citizen noted that as a pioneer

Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Honourable Abubakar Bawa Bwari, has re-emphasized government’s readiness to collaborate with stakeholders in developing the mining sector as a growth enabler in line with the diversification agenda of the present Administration. He stated this when the Executive Governor of Osun State, Governor Adegboyega Oyetola and his team paid him a courtesy visit in his office at MMSD Complex in Abuja.

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari has lauded the promoters of African Gems & Jewelry Exhibition and Seminar (AGJES), 2018 in using the platform to create a viable local market and access to foreign market for locally produced gemstones and jewellery, adding that their efforts to contribute to the growth of the sector will immensely benefit the citizenry and country.

Costing about $225,000, the new plant is expected to be rapidly repaid and will also allow scalability for future expansions.

Symbol Mining Ltd (ASX:SL1) has entered into a formal contract for the construction of a density separation processing plant at its high-grade zinc and lead Macy Project in Nigeria.

Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Honourable Abubabakar Bawa Bwari has disclosed that the essence of the Meeting on Mineral Exploration Project is to rapidly generate integrated geosciences information that will make the country’s resources more attractive and facilitate the sector’s contribution to the GDP, generate employment to the teeming masses of our youth, and create wealth along the mineral valued chain.

The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari, has assured the Quarry Owners Association of Nigeria, Federal Capital Territory Chapter that government is prudently looking into the embargo placed on blasting activities by Quarry Companies in Mpape and its environs, which obviously has affected their operations and market demand in the country.

The Mining Cadastre office has revoked over one thousand mineral titles  in line with the provisions section 155 of the Nigerian Minerals and Mining Act, 2007 and the Regulations made pursuant to it.

According to a release by the office, prior to the revocation of mineral titles, the cadastre office had issued a notification to all mineral title holders to update necessary information on their titles, renewal of licences and leases, payment of annual service fee, commencement of full operations on allocated sites else they face the ‘use-it ot lose-it’ policy in line with the provisions of the NMMA 2007 and submission of a periodic operational report.

President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to five bills, including the Extradition (Amendment) Act 2018, Federal Capital Territory Appropriation Act, 2018 and Nigerian Centre For Disease Control And Prevention (Establishment) Act, 2018.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Ita Enang, disclosed this when he addressed State House correspondents in Abuja on Monday.

The federal government has attributed the absence of finance to mining sector as the major challenge hampering the contribution of the sector to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Alhaji Abubakar Bawa Bwari, said this while speaking recently at a dialogue meeting with chief executives of Nigerian banks and UNDP Country Director in Lagos.

He stressed that access to credit either from banks or capital markets had been low to meet the sector’s financing needs, adding that, institutional investors were also wary of investing in projects along the life cycle.

The 2018 Edition of African Gems and Jewellery Exhibition and Seminar is slated for  December 6th and 7th  in Abuja, FCT.

The programme which is being hosted by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, in collaboration with the Gemologists and Jewellers Association of Nigeria, would take place at the NAF Suites and Conference centre along Kado road, Abuja

The Government of Nigeria has assured the Canadian investors of incentives and conducive environment needed for their investments to thrive.

The Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo gave this assurance at the on-going two-day, Nigeria-Canada Investment Summit with the theme: “Fostering Strong Business Partnership into the Future” holding at the Musa Yaradua Centre, Abuja from November 5-6, 2018.

Prof Osinbajo affirmed the tremendous opportunities for increased scope of trade and investment between Canada and Nigeria as he stressed the need to fully realised Nigeria immense investment potentials.

Protocols/Introduction

I am very delighted to be here to deliver this address at the Nigeria-Canada Investment Forum on the theme, Fostering Strong Business Partnership into the Future.

2. I must thank the organisers of this forum for their foresight, commitment, and hardwork which has made this event possible.
3. When I led the Nigerian delegation to the PDAC Mining Convention, Toronto, Canada in March, I was pleased to meet with our High Commissioner, Ambassador Adeyinka Olatokunbo Asekun and his team, and the remarkable group of Nigerian diaspora there. In parting, we all resolved to ensure that we follow up on the gains of that conference, and the interest it generated for the Nigerian mining sector. I believe this event will further promote that agenda and I commend everyone involved in making it possible.

President Muhammadu Buhari, Thursday in Dakar, Senegal, flagged-off ‘who-owns-what’ campaign, which according to him, is one of a range of tools being utilised in the fight against corruption.

The President, while delivering his speech at the event, disclosed that the objective of the conference, which is to bring together government representatives working on beneficial ownership reform to showcase best practices from the African region, discuss challenges, and provide peer learning and exchange of experiences, is very critical at this period when transparency is paramount in natural resource governance.

He informed that, the need for greater transparency in the ownership of corporate entities, the campaign to know ‘who-owns-what’, was essential to the growth and development of the country.

The recent seizure of about N1.12 billion worth of gold about to be smuggled abroad grabbed media headlines. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, in intercepting the illegal gold shipment that was being smuggled through the Abuja airport to Dubai, United Arab Emirates, uncovered a syndicate of smugglers and refocused attention on the dominance of artisans and unlicensed operators in Nigeria’s puny mining industry. This exposes once more, the tragedy of a country that refuses to exploit its natural endowment in minerals to diversify revenue sources, create jobs and restructure the economy.

The Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development (MMSD), Honourable Abubakar Bawa Bwari has challenged the Committee on State Mineral Resources and Environmental Management (MIREMCO) to proffer concrete solutions to environmental issues in mining as government is concerned about the environmental safety of citizens living in the mining communities and is desirous of reducing the health hazards associated with the degradation of their environment due to mining activities.

The Minister stated this in his address at the Retreat on Mining Governance for Chairmen of Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), organized by the Ministry and held at Barcelona Hotel, Abuja, adding that he is optimistic that issues raised on Environmental Management in Mining at the recently concluded Conference on Nigerian Mining Week will be further examined. The event, he said, will sensitize them in the areas of legal and regulatory frameworks that are essential for proper functioning in the sector and for the realization of the mandate of the committee.

The Federal Government has commenced the implementation of Low Density Geochemical Mapping Project between China Geological survey (CGS) and Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA).

The event was launched by the Minister of State Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari in Abuja.

The Minister in his opening address stated that the key areas being considered in the project are the Low-Density Geochemical Mapping and the National- Geo-Information System and Geo-data sharing, two critical areas necessary for nation building.

The Permanent Secretary, Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Abdulkadri Mu’azu has described the National Metallurgical Development Centre (NMDC), Jos as a hub for Minerals and metallurgical process development in Nigeria.

He made the statement during his visit to NMDC. He said the Centre is well positioned to contribute significantly to diversification of the Nigeria economy through the development of the mineral and metals sectors. He referred to the report of the Bureau of Statistics as an evidence that the mining sector is doing very well.

The Permanent Secretary, Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Abdulkadir Mu’azu has assured the management and staff of Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences (NIMG), Jos of government commitment to assist the Institute to succeed.

He gave this assurance during his tour of the Institute in Jos, Plateau State.

Dr. Mu’azu said there is a new focus on the mining sector as an important frontier for the diversification agenda. He said Nigeria has discovered that it is unsustainable for any country to rely on one product for its sustenance and as the main source of foreign exchange.

The Federal Government has ordered mining operators in the country to as a matter of urgency obtain Community Development Agreement (CDA).

Noting that CDA is very critical to the mining sector, the federal government tasked mining operators to be responsible to the communities where they operate, warning that, no operator should be allowed to operate henceforth in the sector without the CDA.

This was disclosed in Abuja, by the Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee (MIREMCO), during its sensitisation meeting between miners and host communities in Bwari Area Council to discuss issues as it relates to mining activities in the Area Council.

Hon Abubakar Bawa Bwari is the Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development. In this interview bares his mind on the reforms in the mines and steel sector urging Nigerians, the business community and banks to show more interest and seek understanding of the sector in order to take advantage of the potentials available for the growth and development of the Nigerian economy. Excerpts  

………..advocates synergy between Miners and Host Communities

Mineral Resources and Environmental Management Committee, MIREMCO has organized a sensitization meeting between miners and host communities in Bwari Area Council to discuss issues as it relates to mining activities in the Area Council.

The FCT Mines Environmental Compliant officer and a member of the Committee from the Ministry of Mines and Steel, Engr. Osseini Enoch Ukwenya said the meeting is to ensure harmonious relationship between the operators and the host communities.

Engr. Osseini admitted that there is bound to be disagreement between the operators and the host communities, which he believed is subject to negotiation as mining affects every community including displacement. Displacement, he said should bring about compensation to the owner of the land as the land may not be useful to the owner for a long time even after mining activities.

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development’s attention was drawn to a gas emission from exposed coal seam in Umuozu community in Otolo; Nnewi North Local Government Area of Anambra State.

Reacting, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari dispatched a team of officers from the ministry to visit the scene for preliminary inspection and to hold discussion with the affected community.

The team observed that as a result of gully erosion around the community some coal seams were exposed with some emitting gases that resulted in the death of 15 persons as reported by the community.

The team was told that there was intermittent fire flares from the exposed coal seams and this commenced around December 2017.

Nigeria’s ambitious plans to expand its non-fuel minerals sector are becoming more deeply meshed with the country’s strategic industry development agenda, minister of state Abubakar Bawa Bwari has told Mining Journal, as the Muhammadu Buhari government tries to build real longterm prosperity and jobs for the massive youth element of a population that could be the world’s fourth largest by 2050.

Bawa Bwari said in an interview on the sidelines of the recent Africa Downunder conference in Perth, Western Australia, increased recognition of Nigeria’s latent mineral endowment – inside and outside the country – and fresh exploration successes, continued to open up wider industry development possibilities.

The potentially highly significant Titan nickel find by Australia’s Comet Minerals, for example, was “to us … a pleasant surprise”, the minister of state for solid minerals said, that fed hopes for development of local stainless steel production to support wider economic change.

Minister of State for Mines and Steel Development, Hon. Abubakar Bawa Bwari has said due to the present government’s commitment to growing the solid minerals and mining sector, leading to the leverage of about $3.32billion private investments into mining projects as provided in the ERGP focused lab, Nigeria is today ranked among the most conducive environments to do mining business.

Speaking at the just concluded Africa Down Under 2018 Conference on a topic titled ‘A New Dawn ln Nigerian Mining Sector’ in Australia, he said, already given this new trend, private investments into mining projects covering gold mining and refining, foundry works, lead/zinc exploration and production, tin and columbite mining and processing among others have experienced unprecedented leap in production.

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi has reiterated the government’s determination to turn around the mining sector by building a world class ecology of mineral and mining in the country.

“This government is serious about taking mining out of the dungeon and listening to players and drivers of the industry and we are working with key enablers, particularly enabling ministries to ensure that this done” he said.

Nigeria’s trade value in exports increased to N3.573 billion in Q3 of 2017 representing a 13.19% increase over Q2 of 2017 and 35% over Q3 of 2016.

According to a report released by the National Bureau of Statistics in Abuja yesterday, agricultural export value in Q3 2017 stood at 38.43% lower than Q2 3017 but 25.29% higher than Q3 2016.

The federal government through the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi has appealed to Nigerians to be patient with government as ‘mining calendar’ do not align with the ‘electoral calendar’.

He said this is because mining is not a 4year agenda, as exploration might sometime last for 10 years in some cases before getting solid result that could go into production.

The Federal Government has announced plans to commence a Gold Purchase Scheme early next year, aimed at increasing revenue accruable from the country’s abundant gold deposit.

The scheme, according to the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, would include equipping of the artisanal miners, provision of extension services and off-take of all gold produced by participants in the scheme.

The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has said the sector contributed about N3.5 billion to the Federation Account in 2017.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who disclosed this at the 2017 end of the year ministerial briefing on Thursday in Abuja, said the ministry made steady progress in 2017, having surpassed the N2 billion it generated in 2016.

The mining sector’s contribution to the economy is gradually inching up, remitting over N3.5 billion to the federation account in 2017. However, stakeholders are worried over activities of illegal miners, who may reverse the modest gain recorded by the sector. ABDULWAHAB ISA reports

The mining sector recorded a modest gain ever in 2017, a feat, which was attributed to series of reforms unleashed in the sector including its overhaul to make it attractive to investors.

In the bid to curtail the use of firewood and deforestation in Nigeria, Eta Zuma West Africa Group on Thursday inaugurated the production and sale of coal briquettes as alternative fuel for home use.

The Group Managing Director of the company, Mr. Innocent Ezuma, said at the inauguration of the plant in Ankpa, Kogi State that the factory would produce 2,000 tonnes of coal briquettes a month.

The Federal Government says it is working assiduously to develop a National Action Plan (NAP) to reduce the use of Mercury in Nigeria. Dr Abdukadir Muazu, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Mines and Steel Development, said this in Abuja at a workshop for National Comprehensive Analysis of Artisanal and Small Scale Gold Mining Sector.