The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake, has said President Bola Tinubu has identified the solid minerals sector as a pillar of Nigeria’s current efforts to diversify the economy.
He made the disclosure while discussing prospects for deep sea mining in Nigeria’s coastal waters during a visit to the Commonwealth Secretariat in the United Kingdom, according to a statement.
The statement issued in Abuja on Monday was signed by Alake’s Special Adviser, Mr Kehinde Bamigbetan.
The minister said that the ministry had developed a seven-point agenda that included establishment of a solid minerals company.
He said that the agenda also included gathering of big data on minerals reserve to keep mines safe, among other things.
He added that the agenda included socio-economic development of mining communities through effective community development agreements.
The minister urged that the Commonwealth should support efforts of the Tinubu administration.
He said that the ministry would study a dimension of deep sea mining, in collaboration with other ministries, and put together a proposal for further consideration.
Commonwealth’s Senior Director of Trade, Oceans and Natural Resources Department, Mr Paul Kautoke, praised the Nigerian delegation for visiting the Commonwealth Secretariat.
Kautoke said that Nigeria, as a coastal country, could explore the prospects of deep sea minerals such as copper, cobalt, nickel, gold and rare earth elements.
He said that many Commonwealth countries in the Pacific region were making inroads into deep sea mining.
He said that the Commonwealth could assist to develop a policy, in that regard, for Nigeria.
(NAN)
