The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria, Amb. Abhishek Singh, reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening bilateral trade relations between India and Nigeria, particularly in the mining and steel sectors.

He expressed support for Indian professionals working at the facility and encouraged AIG to sustain its contributions to Nigeria’s mining sector.

Singh disclosed this during a visit to African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML), a subsidiary of the African Industries Group (AIG), located in Gujeni Village, Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Singh said: “This particular plant situated at Gujeni Village, Kagarko LGA, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria Express way, Kaduna state, has invested $600 million in Nigeria and is one of the largest enterprise run by Indian industrialists who have been in Nigeria for five (5) decades.

“I express my support to all the Indians working here and urged AIG to continue their efforts in the important mining sector which contributes to further strengthening India-Nigeria trade relations.”

As part of his tour, the High Commissioner also visited AIG’s Abuja Steel Mills, exploration unit, and solar power facilities located in Sabon-Wuse, along the Abuja-Kaduna Expressway in Niger State.

He commended the scale of operations, particularly the solar plant, which ranks among the largest in Nigeria and provides energy for steel production.

Singh reiterated his support for the Indian workforce and urged continued commitment to boosting trade and industrial cooperation between India and Nigeria.

In his response, the Group Managing Director of AIG, Mr. Alok Gupta, expressed appreciation for the visit and acknowledged the supportive role of the Nigerian government in fostering a conducive business environment.

Gupta highlighted several high-level engagements with government officials, saying that, “In 2024, the Minister of Steel Development Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu visited ANRML and applauded the $600 investment and affirmed ANRML’s role in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.

“Also, the same year, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Dele Alake, during his visit commended ANRML as a model for value addition and declared it a benchmark for the Nigerian mining sector.

“Similarly, the Minister of Industry (2024) Doris Uzoka-Anite hailed ANRML as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s quest for sustainable economic prosperity and alignment with the Nigeria Automotive Industry Plan.”

Gupta said ANRML is one of Nigeria’s largest non-oil Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) at over $600 million in an iron ore mining and processing facility,fully integrated beneficiation, pelletizing and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant with waste heat recovery; equipment sourced from four continents.

He said the company employs more than 4000 persons both direct and indirect employment and has a mining Capacity of over 5 million tons per annum; NI 43-101 certified iron ore resources.

Gupta added, “Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) produced is a direct, sustainable substitute for ferrous scrap, the current raw material for steel production in Nigeria.

“By supplying DRI domestically, we reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported steel, save hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange, and progressively elevate its status as a major global producer of crude steel.”

He also disclosed that the company operates an ultra-modern mineral analysis laboratory in Niger State, accredited under ISO/IEC 17025 standards, further promoting local value addition in the mining industry.

He described ANRML as a significant milestone in AIG’s over five decades of industrial presence in Nigeria, emphasizing its role as a fully integrated value chain, from iron ore extraction to high-grade DRI production, positioning Nigeria for greater participation in the global steel market.