Yemisi Izuora
President of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN) Alhaji Sani Shehu, has called on investors to take advantage of incentives offered by government to explore the country mining sector.
Shehu said that the industry should know that with the renewed government interest in mining development in Nigeria and the incentives such as tax holidays, removal of export duty for mining equipment and readiness of indigenous operators to partner with foreign investors, Nigeria is now a re-emerging mining nation worth exploring.
The MAN President observed that “Nigeria is now a re-emerging mining nation worth exploring”.
His statement is coming as the country gets set for the upcoming, inaugural Nigeria Mining Week which is taking place in Abuja in October
Following the enthusiastic response from the mining community and the Nigerian government to the inaugural iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum in partnership with PwC Nigeria last year, MAN has joined forces with organisers Spintelligent and PwC Nigeria to create an all-encompassing meeting place for the sector.
The Nigeria Mining Week will comprise a grand opening, where Nigeria’s Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, will deliver the welcome address, as well as the second edition of the iPAD Nigeria Mining & Quarrying Forum in partnership with PwC conference and exhibition, and then various workshops for artisanal and small scale miners, followed by a grand closing.
The event is hosted by the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development and will welcome the entire mining ecosystem comprising of artisanal and small scale miners, junior mining operators, exploration companies, local and international investors, financial institutions, traders, solution providers as well as government bodies, to meet and discuss the current state of the market.
Shehu says his expectations for the Nigeria Mining Week include: “to discuss and analyse the recently approved Mining Road-map with the view of operators playing their expected role to achieve the desired aspirations.
He expects the forum to expose Nigerian minerals’ potentials to attract foreign investors and to set up a follow-up mechanism to see to the implementation of the communique reached at the end of the event.
He adds that the event “will become a continuation of the journey that will terminate at an international annual mining event for Nigeria”.
The Nigerian mining industry is already showing its buy-in again with Bank of Industry signing up as the silver sponsors while well-known companies such as Advocaat, Aelex, Akabogu & Associates, Banwo & Ighodalo, Kian Smith Trade & Co, Nigachem Nigeria Ltd, Palladium Mining Ltd and SBOG are also confirmed as bronze sponsors.