The Federal Government has concluded arrangement to implement the 7-point agenda roadmap, meant to transform the solid minerals sector through Public Private Partnership (PPP).
This would be achieved with the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development and foremost consulting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC).
Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Dele Alake stated this on Sunday in Lagos while receiving the PWC partner on mining, Mr Habeeb Jaiyeola.
Alake had reeled out a seven-point agenda tagged: “Agenda for the Transformation of the Solid Minerals Sector for International Competitiveness and Domestic Prosperity”.
It includes the creation of the Nigerian solid minerals corporation, joint ventures with mining multinationals, big data on specific seven priority minerals and their deposits, and 30-day grace for illegal miners to join artisanal cooperatives.
Others are mines surveillance task force and mine police, comprehensive review of all mining licences, and creation of six mineral processing centres to focus on value-added products.
The minister commended the company for its role at the first phase of the bitumen concession programme and in the just-concluded Nigerian Mining Week.
He thanked the consulting firm for their contributions to the mining sector over the years, promising that the expertise and ideas of PwC would be integrated while implementing the seven-point agenda.
Alake stated that President Bola Tinubu is determined to introduce innovative ideas in the sector as part of plans to reposition the country for lasting prosperity.
Responding, Jaiyeola expressed its readiness to partner with the ministry in executing the agenda, saying that the company is seeking to make the solid minerals a key sector that would attract Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to Nigeria.
“We summarised our thoughts on the 7-point agenda, looking at it and suggesting how to bring it to life while advising on pitfalls and how to avoid them.
“The major thing is that at the end of the tenure of the administration, there will be key deliverables that can be monitored, and the roadmap on how each of them is going to be achieved and projected, “he said.
He disclosed that PwC is open for further deliberations on how to widen the scope of the sector.
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