Nigeria is participating in 16th Mines and Money Conference in London to woo mining investors, showcasing a dozen strategic minerals. Alhaji Abubakar Bwari, Nigeria’s Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, met with representatives from 93 Nations to showcase the minerals. Mr Ishaku Kigbu, Special Assistant to the Minister of State, announced this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja. The minister met with delegations from the International Mining and Resources Conference (IMARC) which comprised 93 nations at the just concluded ‘ Mines and Money Conference’ in London.
The minister of state, who hosted the IMARC delegations at the Nigeria room in a business centre, said the meeting was imperative to showcase strategic minerals available in Nigeria. He said that Nigeria leveraged on the 16th Mines and Money Conference in London to woo mining investors to Nigeria. He said that Nigeria used the conference programme to renew vigour aimed at changing from over reliance on oil and gas to make Nigeria a mining destination. “We are ready to partner with international firms that can help reposition Nigeria on the world mining map,” he said.
Bwari said convincing investors to invest in Nigeria mining was a big challenge since the discovery of oil. “Nigeria was first known as a mining nation before the advent of oil but attention of the government shifted due to the discovery of oil. ” We are using the conferences to network internationally because Nigeria is a mineral nation but yet to be a mining destination.”
