The National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency (NSRMEA) and the Defense Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) on Thursday, played host to the Minister of Steel Development, Prince Shuaib Abubakar Audu who toured the industrial facilities of the establishments towards strengthening the agencies. The NSRMEA and DICON are among agencies considered as strategic to the industrialization of Nigeria.
The minister, who acknowledged the pivotal role of NSRMEA and DICON in the realization of the administration’s set goal of industrializing the country, assured that the Federal Government is determined to use the steel and metal industry to grow the economy.
A statement from the ministry, signed by Ijomah E.Opia for Director of Press and Public Relations, said the aim of the minister’s visit is to ascertain the state of affairs of the establishments as they will play pivotal roles in the revolution of the steel and metal sector, the minister said.
According to Prince Audu, the ministry under the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, aims to produce 10 million metric tonnes of steel annually in order to significantly reduce the country’s reliance on imported steel, stating: “Once our plans are to be fully implemented in the next five years, and we will achieve all our objectives.”.
While saying that Nigeria imports about $4 billion worth of steel annually, which underscores the need for import substitution so as to reduce the pressure on foreign exchange, he described NSRMEA as a cornerstone in the present administration, stating that government aims to grow the nation’s economy to a $1 trillion dollar economy by Year 2030.
He stated: “For Nigeria to produce steel in large quantities as we desire, it is very important that the exploration arm of the industry is operating at full capacity.”
In a related development, the minister also toured the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria where he disclosed that plans were underway to collaborate with the Ministry of Defence and the Defence Industries Corporation of Nigeria (DICON) to produce military hardware. He said that talks between the Ministry of Steel Development and the Ministry of Defense are at advanced stage, and explained that one of the Federal Government’s key objectives is the rehabilitation of Ajaokuta Steel Company, assuring that that the Ministry is working towards integrating military hardware production into the Complex as part of a broader plan to establish a Military-Industrial Complex in Ajaokuta.
He said a Memorandum of Understanding had already been drafted and shared with DICON, pending presidential approval.
Prince Audu stated that the administration is committed to repositioning the nation’s Steel Sector, as plans are underway to organize Nigeria’s Inaugural Steel Summit to bring Stakeholders who would develop a comprehensive Blueprint for the growth and development of the steel sector.
The minister also paid a courtesy call on former president Muhammadu Buhari, and the Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, who was represented by the Deputy Governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe.
In her remarks, Dr. Balarabe assured that the government of Kaduna State is ready to partner with the federal government and the ministry to move the steel industry forward. She called on the ministry to pay attention to Kaduna State as it is home to steel natural resources.
Earlier in his address, the Director General of NSRMEA, Engr. Kolawole Michael Ogunbiyi welcomed the Minister to the Agency. He promised that the agency will support the Ministry to achieve its mandate of growing the economy towards industrialization and job creation.
He also pointed out some of the Agency’s teething challenges and expressed optimism that the Minister is capable of addressing them.
On his part, the Director General of DICON, Major General Aniedi Effiong Edet assured the Minister of DICON’s willingness to collaborate with the Ministry, especially in the areas of production of military hardware using Ajaokuta as a base.
Edet took the minister and his entourage on a guided tour of DICON facility to showcase the enormous resources the agency possessed, both human and material.
