BY AKUDORO GLORIA
The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake has called on global investors across to take advantage of Nigeria’s geo-data digital platforms to access information on the country’s rich mineral resources.
Alake made this call while addressing the Chief Executive Officers of global mining conglomerates at the ongoing annual Mines and Money Conference held at the Business Design Centre, Islington, United Kingdom.
He listed three web platforms – Nigerian Mineral Decision Support System, NMRDSS, Electronic Mining Cadastral, EMC+, and National Geo-Data Centre – as key information resources for serious investors.
In a statement by the Special Assistant on Media to the Minister, Segun Tomori, Alake explained that Nigeria adopted digital technology to advance mineral market and to ease business enquiries as well as promote transparent transactions.
Describing the NMRDSS as a Web application that provides read-only access to geo-scientific and geo-economic data, the Minister said it allows users to analyse mineral occurrence locations and make informed decisions regarding mining activities.
His words, “By providing publicly available data about the geology and mineral wealth of Nigeria, this dynamic resource, updated regularly to make the data as current as possible, enables the investor to explore the environment of the Mineral occurrences of choice. It answers queries of hydrology, demography, geography, urban planning, and transportation.”
Explaining the EMC+, the Minister said the online, real-time system for administering mineral titles throughout their life cycles is efficient and transparent.
“This means investors can research and plan their application for titles remotely as far as they have the data required as inputs in the application process.” He noted.
Assuring mining business leaders that the administration of President Bola Tinubu is committed to the acquisition of more geological data to improve the value of the platforms, Alake announced that the administration plans to fund more geological research and leverage the results of research by private and public institutions to build more data.
On certifying the quality of the data, Alake, who doubles as the Chairman of Africa Minerals Strategy Group comprising African mining Ministers, saluted the efforts of geoscientists in Africa for developing a new coding system to certify research reports.
He harped on the need for value addition and beneficiation in the downstream segment of the mining value chain, stating that recent exploration has positioned Nigeria as a key player in the supply of critical minerals to the world.
“The deliberate investment in accurate geoscientific data, particularly for critical minerals such as lithium and rare earth minerals, has positioned Nigeria as a key player in the global transition to a green economy. This transition aligns with our commitment to sustainability and our role in the global fight against climate change.” He said.
He urged major mining companies to partner with the Tinubu’s administration in its efforts to diversify the economy in favour of the solid minerals sector. He added that the collaboration would unlock the country’s vast mineral resources.