Federal Government is wooing South African investors with mouthwatering incentives in the solid minerals sector. According to a statement signed by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Segun Tomori, the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, woo the investors in a keynote address delivered at the inaugural ‘International Investment Forum and Roadshow’ in South Africa for the Solid Minerals Sector in Nigeria. Alake said Nigeria’s solid minerals sector is robust with investors friendly policies that facilitate ease of doing business based on the innovations and data injected into the system, which have made it so attractive to investors, therefore, urged the South African investors and other global mining companies to take advantage of the platforms created for them to enjoy doing business in the Nigerian mining sector.
According to the Minister represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Sarah Ogbe, some of these innovations include; introduction of the Electronic Mining Cadastral System (EMC+), which streamlines the licensing process, enabling a fully digitized application system for mining licenses; the Nigeria Minerals Decision Support System (NMDSS), which offers critical hydrological, geological, and geographical data that will assist potential investors in making informed decisions. He also maintained that Nigeria is open for business based on the Tinubu-led administration’s ‘Renewed Hope’ Agenda that had galvanized the country’s administration on solid minerals sector following ongoing reforms and the improved business climate.
Meanwhile, companies are expected to formalize partnerships during the upcoming Nigeria Mining Week, which will take place from November 18-20, 2024, which will bring together several South African mining companies and financial institutions to further strengthen the cooperation forged at the Johannesburg investment forum. He said:”Our vision is to establish a sector where global mining giants—such as Glencore, Rio Tinto, Intro-Africa Mining & Exploration, and Rainbow Mines—recognize Nigeria’s vast mineral resources and collaborate with us to maximize the benefits of these resources for our citizens and economic development of the nation.”
Dr. Ogbe also participated in a panel session answering questions from diverse investors, sensitizing the audience on improved business climate in the mining sector and reeling out incentives for prospective investors. The host of the investment forum, Ag. Nigeria High Commissioner to Nigeria, Ambassador Tope Ajayi, in his remarks, stated that the conference aims to showcase the vast solid minerals potentials of Nigeria to South-African investors, secure valuable collaborations with the ministry and get the needed capital investment that will spur rapid development of the mining sector.