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Government moves to stop exportation of raw Kaolin

By Ernest Nzor, Abuja
09 March 2022   |   3:15 am
The Federal Government, yesterday, said it had begun move to stop the exportation of raw Kaolin mineral in Nigeria to improve revenue of the country.

Olamilekan Adegbite is Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals and Steel Development

• Charges investors to take advantage of plant
• Cadastre office seeks private partnership to drive investment

The Federal Government, yesterday, said it had begun move to stop the exportation of raw Kaolin mineral in Nigeria to improve revenue of the country.

Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite, disclosed this when he paid a courtesy visit to the office of Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, after inspecting the Kaolin processing plant in the state.

He said that the establishment of the plant in Bauchi would put an end to exportation of raw Kaolin and importation of industrial-grade Kaolin for pharmaceutical firms in the country.

Adegbite, in a statement by Director, Press and Public Relations of the ministry, Mrs. Etore Thomas, explained that the establishment of the clusters in the six geopolitical zones was part of Federal Government’s efforts to stimulate the economy after the adverse effect of COVID-19 pandemic.

In his remarks, Mohammed commended the Federal Government’s decision to establish a Kaolin processing plant in Bagurja/Sabuwa Gwaram, Kaleri Local Council of the state.

He said the state would take advantage of the abundant Kaolin mineral in the area to improve its revenue profile.

MEANWHILE, the Director-General of the Nigeria Mining Cadastre Office (MCO), Obadiah Nkom, has reiterated the need for partnership between government and the private sector to drive huge investment into mining to achieve the mandate.

Nkom stated this yesterday when a delegation of Optiva Resources Limited, a London-based Investment organisation, paid a courtesy visit to the agency in Abuja to explore investment opportunities for the development of mineral resources in Nigeria.

A statement by Head, Press Unit, Mrs. Folasade Fatoke, stated that the government would collaborate with the World Bank to upgrade the agency’s system, adding that with electronic Mining Cadastre (eMC+) application based system, a ready-made platform has been provided for investors all over the world to come on board.

In his remarks, Director, Investment Promotion and Mineral Trade (IPMT), Yunusa Mohammed, said that the organisation’s courtesy visit was sequel to the ministry’s participation in the London Mines and Money Conference in December 2021, adding that participation at such conferences is in order.

Also, the Chief Executive Officer, Optiva Securities Limited, Christian Dennis, who led the team to Abuja, disclosed that the company had been across Africa, adding that they are on a fact-finding mission to Nigeria to explore investment opportunities in precious and battery metals.

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