Adegbite says Nigeria will become a market for gems, jewelleries

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development (MMSD), Arc Olamilekan Adegbite, said that the ministry is set to make Nigeria a global Gems and Jewellery market.

The minister stated this in Abuja, during the graduation ceremony for 41 graduating students drawn from the 36 States, including the Federal Capital Territory trained in jewellery making recently.

Adegbite noted that the federal government is making effort to make sure value is added to raw gold mined locally to attract foreigners and make Nigeria a gold jewellery destination.

He said: “These graduands will play a key role in pioneering and developing the industry in all the states of the Federation and FCT, the graduands will go back to their respective states where they will open up training workshops to enhance job creation and productivity growth.

“Monitoring teams will soon be set up to ensure compliance. Government is however not oblivious to the burden associated with start-up entrepreneurs and it is determined to support the growth of the industry.

“As a show of commitment, the Federal government is presenting a set of starter kits comprising the basic tools that are required to establish a standard jewellery workshop to the students.”

He further urges the graduands to approach their respective states’ governments for further assistance.

In his remarks, the Coordinator of Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) Project, Dr Sallim Salaam, calls on the graduands to be ambassadors of their various states and keep the flag high by training others.

Salaam said: “I want to congratulate the grandaunts as you all know the objective of this programme is for you all to go back to your states to train more people for the support of the government.

“What we want to do today is in two folds, the first section, the Honourable minister will share starter park with the grandaunt, we’ll also share personality in jewellery making, to give career talks to the grandaunts so that they work for more in their profession. The second segment is the workshop to validate strategies for the development of the gemstones and jewellery industry in Nigeria.”