FCTA Partners FG To Annex Potential In Mining Industry

The Federal Capital Territory Administration through the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) is partnering the Ministry of Mines and Steels to tap potential in the mining industry with the intention of improving Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

The FCTA permanent secretary, Olusade Adesola, dropped the hint in Abuja yesterday at the second edition of the Abuja Business Forum (Mining Sector) organised by the Abuja Enterprise Agency (AEA) with the theme; ‘Unveiling Opportunities in the Nigerian Mining Sector for Sustainable and Inclusive Growth’.

Adesola, who was represented by the FCTA director of solid minerals and allied matters, Engr. Niyi Olaloye, said the FCT is home to abundant mineral resources whose potential have not been fully explored, and while it is not peculiar to the FCT, it has occasioned the need to rally around stakeholders in the mining sector to develop a roadmap that will guide the unlock the rich opportunities therein.

According to the permanent secretary, the FCT Administration is a firm believer in the huge potential of Nigerian entrepreneurs, and it is their belief that the sector offers vast opportunities to address many of the socio-economic challenges in Nigeria such as unemployment, poverty and inequalities.

“This has necessitated our intervention in the MSMEs sub-sector by our desire to create jobs, generate wealth and alleviate poverty towards creating a prosperous and inclusive society.

“The mining sector offers a unique opportunity to create wealth in view of the capacities of MSMEs. MSMEs play a vital role in the nation’s economy as they are responsible for 48 percent of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and employs 60M people of the nation’s workforce.

“It is our belief that positioning the MSME sub sector to fully take advantage of the mineral resources in the FCT, we will experience rapid growth. Over the years we have designed various policies, programmes and interventions towards supporting the growth of businesses,” he said.

Earlier, the chief executive officer of AEA, Shehu Abdulkadir, explained that the mining sector has a lot of potential, but Nigeria is yet to benefit from the potential because it has not properly tapped into it.

He said as an enterprise development agency, they decided to venture into the mining industry because of the queries they have gotten from members of the public, and that was why they chose mining as the second focus area in the business forum.

Also, the permanent secretary in the ministry of mines and steel, Ms. Mary Ogbeh, who was represented by a director in the ministry, Mr. Imeh Ogidigbo, said  Nigeria needs to annex the mining sector to tap from it with determination, commitment and every available opportunity.