Steel: Govt, African Natural Resources Partner On Capacity Building

In an effort to enhance the capacity of its staff, the Ministry of Steel Development has dispatched its personnel to the African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML) in Gujeni, Kaduna State, to acquire knowledge about its operational processes.

The director of Raw Material Inspectorate, Metallurgical Development and Environmental Protection, Frederick Ewa, stated that knowledge sharing was necessary to build the capacity of its staff on current processes and technologies used in the Steel and Mining sector.

Ewa who led the staff of the Ministry of Steel Development to the “Knowledge and Experience Sharing” sessions in ANRML Plant in Gujeni, Kargarko LGA in Kaduna state, said such ministry and industry interactions, learnings, and field visits has enabled the officials to be better informed about the processes and technologies used currently, the extent of investment involved and the kind of unique advantage the organisation is bringing to uplift the economy of Nigeria.

He said, “We felt it was time to groom a set of people who will understand what you are doing in the area of producing steel. After completion of the knowledge sharing and field visit, the officials are better informed about the processes. They are in a position to take better decisions in the interest of the industry and the economy, as they are fully informed and knowledgeable about the process.”

Not every nation or business breaks out of the blues; there are definite steps that must be taken, and that is what ANRML has done in the Steel and Mining sectors of our country. ANRML has painstakingly followed through years of consistency in planning and following processes of establishing such a company in Nigeria.”

Ewa also reiterated, “The integrated steel plant is one of its kind in Africa. As director, I pledge to do everything within my power to ensure that ANRML succeeds in their Operational activities”.

The director, Raw Material Development and Investment Promotion, Ime Ekrikpo, who was part of the delegation, said, “ANRML has demonstrated long and consistent commitment to the industrial development of Nigeria. The backward integration plant has brought a veritable hope for Nigeria’s industrialisation. Congratulations to ANRML on this great feat”.

In his response, Narasimha Nayak, CEO of ANRML, said the company was happy to share its knowledge and experience with the staff of the Ministry of Steel Development and welcomed further collaborations.

“We will do all in our power to pass our knowledge, skill and experience to build a skilled manpower in the Steel sector and also add value to minerals mined here to bolster the Nigerian economy,” Nayak said.

The African Natural Resources and Mines Limited, a subsidiary of the African Industries Group (AIG), has made a significant non-oil foreign direct investment of $600 million, creating jobs, boosting the Steel and Mining sectors, and promoting the government’s backward integration policy.

The company’s iron-ore mining and processing plant in Kaduna state creates high-value Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) as a raw material for steel production, reducing the need for imported scrap iron and positioning Nigeria as a potential global steel producer.