By Victoria Onehi
The Head Mining Mr Partha Ghosh said that six hundred million dollars is being spent on the Iron Ore mining and Steel processing plant, African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML) to be commissioned soon.
Mr. Ghosh, who was representing Mr. Alok Gupta, GMD, African Industries Group disclosed this while speaking to journalists at the sidelines of the ongoing Nigeria-Africa Natural Resources and Energy Investment Summit at the International Confernce Centre,Abuja.
“We have this company which is African Natural Resource and Mines Limited ( ANRML), it is a group company of African Industries Group. At ANRML, we are into mining of iron ore locally, which is then used to produce Steel. It will be the first of it’s kind in Nigeria and we are investing over 600 million dollars on the project.”Ghosh said
He added that when the plant is fully completed, it will have the mining capacity of over five million tonnes per annum.
The company is located at Gujeni village, Kagarko,Kaduna state.
” When we kick-start later this year,we will be one of the largest producer of steel in the country. We are more than 95 percent in completion .We are just doing some fine-tuning .”Ghosh said
He further disclosed that the African Industries Group company is into many other sectors including power generation and distribution.
” We have a power plant in Ogun state where we are generating 150 megawatts of power which is supplied to the national grid and also supplying electricity to parts of Lagos state.” Ghosh explained.
Speaking in the same vein at the summit,President Muhammadu Buhari says Africa requires a huge amount of energy generation to drive development.
Buhari who was represented by the Minister of Mines and Steel Development Arch.Olamilekan Adegbite said Africa was required to have huge energy generation because the “world is shifting away from fossil fuel to clean and renewable energy sources to drive its development.”
He observed that in the midst of this energy transition were many challenges and opportunities for a continent yearning for development.
“I am delighted to see various African nationals gathering here to deliberate and create a framework within which future cooperation and collaboration can take place.
“Today’s convention is indeed important; I believe this will spur us as a continent of diverse people to co-operate and collaborate more, and initiate innovative solutions to the challenges that are peculiar to us.
“We should come up with technologies and products that will lead to the growth and industrialisation of Africa in a more environment-friendly manner while encouraging the development and financing of green energy projects.
“With the view of maximising these opportunities, to create wealth, grow the GDP and expand opportunities available to Nigerians. The mining sector is the backbone of industrialisation of the economy.” Olamilekan said.
The Minister further noted that the mining implementation and stability is strategically focusing on steel. Nigeria has the 12th largest steel deposits in the world with more than 3 billion tonnes resources in Kogi, Enugu, Zamfara and Kaduna States.
“Annually $3.3 billion is still spent on steel imports which impact the economy. With focusing on steel Nigeria can reduce dependency on imports and the economy would become a major player in global markets.”he noted.
In his remarks, one of the panelist and Director General of the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency, NGSA, Dr Abdulrazaq Garba, speaking on “maximizing mineral potential” explained that Data generation is the heart of the mining sector.
Also, another panelist and Director General Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office, Simon Nkom said the essence of the summit is to be able to develop Africa, particularly Nigeria adding that in view of that, the federal government in its determination to diversify the economy identified the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development as a strategic industry that will bring about growth and development.
The three day program of the 1st Nigeria Africa natural resources and energy convened the African mining, finance, power, oil and gas sector and chart a way forward for the development of natural resources and energy projects in a sustainable and climate friendly manner.
The Minister of mines and energy from Ethiopia, South Sudan, Gambia, Libya, Kenya, Chad, and Nigeria’s state foreign affairs, Zubairu Dada among other industry stakeholders are all in attendance to grace the summit.
The theme of the Energy Investment Summit: is “Towards a Greener Africa” with high-powered panel sessions, keynote addresses, and exhibitions by stakeholders within and outside the continent.
