In order to mitigate the effects of COVID-19 pandemic on exploration and mining investment in the country, the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has started holding special sessions with prospective investors on the occurrence of the investor’s minerals of interest, where necessary.
Director General, NGSA, Dr Garba Abdulrazaq who made an extensive presentation to a delegation of Gembu Mining Company, at the NGSA headquarters, Abuja, said “of course the websites of the NGSA and the National Integrated Mineral Exploration Project (NIMEP) are packed full of geosciences data and information on various minerals that investors may require to make necessary decisions, the NGSA Mineral Promotion Team is willing and ready to go extra mile by providing additional information that investors require.”
Discussing the preparedness of the NGSA to support investors with information on the minerals they wish to invest in, the Director General said: “In the past two years, the NGSA has reorganized and refocused itself toward providing the necessary data and geosciences information needed to trigger investments in mining,” adding that the agency will continue to focus on areas of its mandate that will lead to generation of geosciences data to support the industry.
“We all know that COVID-19 pandemic has caused a global financial crisis and we have always known that Nigeria depends extensively on oil. However, the current government is aware of the dwindling oil prices and has decided to diversify the economy of Nigeria with emphasis on agriculture and solid mineral development,” he said, adding that its current strategy in addition to its reorganization will serve as an antidote that will mitigate the effects of COVID-19 on exploration and mining investment in the country, as much as possible.
Dr Garba explained that before Nigeria’s independence, the solid mineral sector was the main source of revenue for government, adding that the solid mineral sector can still contribute greatly to government revenue, among other sectors.
He explained that apart from the very resourceful geosciences information available on the websites of the NGSA and National Integrated Mineral Exploration Project (NIMEP), the special sessions became necessary as a strategy to give extra information support to investors toward advancing their mining or exploration programme in the country.
Managing Director, Gembu Mining Company, Mr Emmanuel Omijeh noted that the level of geosciences information on respective minerals is a pointer to the preparedness of the agency to meet information needs of investors. He therefore commended the foresight of the NGSA for its very resourceful website as well as its preparedness to go extra mile in ensuring that investors get the reliable geosciences data needed to make investment decisions.
According to him Omijeh, if current efforts are sustained by the NGSA, Nigeria will become the darling of global investors in mining, a development that will lead to economic diversification and large-scale creation of job opportunities.
