Following the partnership between the Geological Survey of Finland and the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency, the Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has lamented the slow pace of growth witnessed in the Nigerian mining sector.
Fayemi admitted that the country was a mineral rich nation, with large green fields, but insisted that the largest black nation in the world was lagging behind other African mineral nations like Ghana, Burkina Faso, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire, in developing her mineral resources.
“In view of this shortfall, we are ready to collaborate with any country that has vast experience in solid mineral development. We have developed a roadmap for the development of the sector and the geological prospects is number one on the roadmap,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Finnish top geologist, Mr. Philipp Schmidt-Thome, has indicated Finland’s interest in assisting Nigeria in the development of her geological prospects.
He noted that the idea was not to copy what they had done in Finland and other countries and replicate in Nigeria, but to work together with the NGSA to identify areas of need and help in the development of the industry as well as provide support in capacity building.
