The Anambra State government said it is stepping up efforts to harness the State’s abundant mineral resources to boost Nigeria’s economic and industrial development.
Speaking in an interview in Awka, the Managing Director of Anambra State Solid Mineral Development Company Limited, Professor Charles Ofoegbu, said the State is richly endowed with a variety of commercially valuable minerals that could significantly contribute to agriculture, infrastructure, and industrial growth.
Ofoegbu noted that illegal mining activities remain a major challenge, with multiple unregulated bodies collecting revenues outside the law.
“The existence of several regulatory organs imposing compliance arbitrarily, without certification from the Council of Mining Engineers and Geoscientists (COMEG), has created inefficiencies and revenue leakages,” he said.
He explained that the recent Solid Mineral Reforms are designed to regulate mining operations, covering procedures for obtaining mining leases, environmental safeguards, corporate social responsibility, and community development plans.
“The abundant minerals in the State are mostly illegally mined, with little or no regulation, resulting in financial losses for the government,” Ofoegbu said.
Anambra State is reported to have significant deposits of kaolin (Ukpor, Ozubulu), clay/bentonite (Achama-Agu), ironstone/sand (Uga, Ogbunike, Nsugbe, Abagana, Owerre-Ezukala), laterite (Umunya, Enugwu-Agidi, Ezinifite, Awka Ihedi, Utuh), river sand (River Niger and Anambra River banks), gravel (Nsugbe, Ogbunka, Abagana), plaster sand (Nanka, Agu-Amawbia, Nsugbe), and lignite/brown coal (Ukpor, Oba, Oraifite, Akwukwu, Ozubulu, Nnewi).
According to Ofoegbu, the geology of the State spans the Mamu Formation (Senonian), Paleocene (Ebenebe), Ameki Formation (Nanja Sand/Nsugbe), and Oligocene-Miocene (Omambala/Anambra River), providing a strong foundation for sustainable mining development.
However, he acknowledged challenges, including limited infrastructure for the extraction, processing, and transportation of minerals, environmental degradation, and pollution.
Ofoegbu said modern technology is gradually replacing traditional excavation methods, addressing health risks and occupational hazards faced by miners.
“The mining sector must align with the Sustainable Development Goals by stimulating economic growth, creating jobs, building resilient infrastructure, and mitigating environmental impacts,” he stressed.
Ofoegbu said the state government is committed to addressing infrastructure gaps, environmental concerns, and investment needs to fully unlock Anambra’s mineral wealth and strengthen its contribution to national development.
