Minna set to host Second Northern Nigeria Solid Minerals Expo

Mon, Nov 26, 2018 | By publisher


Business

The Second Northern Nigeria Solid Minerals Fair and Workshop will hold from December 13 to 15, at the Legbo Kutigi International Conference Centre, Minna, Niger State.

A statement by the organizers said the specialized trade fair will now hold yearly following the success of the maiden edition held in May, last year at the Kaduna International Trade Fair Ground.

The theme of this year’s expo is: “The Mines and Mineral Sector as a Key Player in Economic Recovery and Growth Plan.”It is jointly organized by the Niger State Government, the Niger Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture and Proedge Communication.

The three-day event will be attended by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello of Niger State; Abubakar Bawa Buhari, the minister of Mines and Steel Development; Alaba Lawson, the president, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, managers of all chambers of commerce and other key industry players from all the 19 Northern States in Nigeria.

This year’s expo is designed to register a great impact by exposing the massive job creation potentials available to State and Local Governments through small scale mining as well as avenues for wealth creation among artisanal and small scale miners across the region.

“In the last three years, the Federal Government through the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development has rolled out several regulatory frameworks and investment friendly policies. It is imperative that states and local governments pick up the gauntlet, exploring avenues to create jobs and enhance wealth through the creation of special purpose vehicles or engage in joint ventures in exploiting the vast mineral deposits in their domain.

“Beside massive job creation through small scale and artisanal mining, states governments can earn more money from the mines by entering into partnership with foreign concerns. Moreover, there is a huge tax income from mining and 13% derivation which can swell the purse of states in proportion to the amount of legal mining business conducted in the preceding year,” Tajudeen Abdulkareem, the consultant to the project, said.

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