Business
VC Charts Path To Solid Minerals Dev
The Vice-Chancellor,
Ahmadu BelIo University, Zaria, Prof. Ibrahim Garba, says Nigeria needs the right attitude and knowledge to develop its solid minerals sector.
Garba, who is also the Chairman, Committee on Solid Minerals Development Roadmap, disclosed this in Abuja.
“There must be correct altitude and knowledge to know what you have and how to exploit it for the benefit of the country.
“There was nothing new in the solid minerals roadmap, but certainly the solid minerals (sector) is the one least understood by everybody – public, government and even by government officials themselves.
“It is a sector that is not known to Nigeria even though Nigeria had very glorious mining in the past which died since 1970s.
“And that is why the modern Nigeria has not come to know mining as a business, as a means of sustaining the nation’s economy, other than mining of petroleum which is also mining.”
Garba said for this reason, Nigeria had continued to struggle with the understanding of what it would take to develop the solid minerals sector.
He said that even though in the last 10 years, the Federal Government had been striving to reform the sector, unfortunately the sector had yet to occupy the right place in the development of the country’s economy.
He said the solid minerals sector remained largely undeveloped because of ignorance and poor attitude toward the sector.
Garba underscored the need for adopting the right approach for the sector, which was basically knowledge-based and knowledge-driven, to attract investors.
“We must have the correct altitude because it is a business sector where you need to attract investments and investment funds from potential investors,” he said.
The vice-chancellor said that the knowledge aspect of mining cut across scientific knowledge of knowing the minerals, knowing where they were, how they were formed and how to find them.
He said that government must also have knowledge of how to provide an environment that was conductive to investments and how to nurture the sector as means of development.
Garba said that mining was a potent means of revenue generation, adding that revenue generated must, however, be used for more sustainable development since mining was not renewable like agriculture.
“Mining is very destructive to the environment. It is based on finite resources means that the amount of resources you find will one day finish; it is not renewable.
“Due to these constraints and challenges around the sector, government upon government failed to understand probably what it takes to develop the sector. And whenever our leaders understand it, they failed to take the correct steps to make it work.
“In the last 10 years, the roadmap has been there but we miss it 10 years ago and we have to go back 10 years and recover the roadmap and follow it,” he said.
Garba said that 10 years ago, all the necessary instruments of reform, in terms of the legal framework, institutional framework and technical ingredients to push the sector forward, were put in place but were not followed.
He said Mining Act was enacted in 2007 and the institutional reforms were put in place in 2006, adding, however, that successive governments failed to develop the solid minerals sector up to the recommended level.
He emphasised that mining was a competitive sector and that Nigeria’s neighbours were doing well in the sector.
“Petroleum resources have spoiled everything in Nigeria. As long as petroleum dollars flow into this country without any efforts of our own, it will kill all morale and means of hard work.
“And this sector is not like petroleum, even though there are all minerals. It requires much hard work to get it going,” he said.
Garba recalled that 10 years ago, the solid minerals could have been well developed, with local and international input, adding that nowadays, its development required a different approach.
He said that in the course of the work on the roadmap, all the existing instruments were re-assembled and put in context in relation to the current realities in Nigeria.
“We needed this more today than 10 years back because our challenges today are worse than our challenges 10 years back,” he said.
He urged government to take deliberate steps aimed at promoting the development of the sector so that Nigeria would not miss the mark as it did 10 years ago.
Garba recalled during colonial era, all the mining activities in Nigeria were carried out 100 per cent by private sector companies.
He advised government to encourage private companies invest in the mining sector.
MoniePoint Inc. a digital financial firm in Nigeria, has said it is empowering community pharmacists across the country with innovative payment solutions to improve access to drugs.
The financial firm said it had also provided loans for pharmacists under the aegis of the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN) to drive healthcare delivery in the country.
MoniePoint in a release titled, “Inside Nigeria’s community pharmacies: How Moniepoint drives healthcare access with payments and funding”, has reaffirmed its commitment to providing digital payment solutions to improve health outcomes in Nigeria.
The release examined how community pharmacies play a crucial role as vital access points for medical care in Nigeria, especially in areas with limited hospital or clinic access.
According to the release, the ACPN National Chairman, Ambrose Igwekwam, highlighted the critical role played by community pharmacies in Nigeria’s healthcare system over the years.
Igwekwam, however, expressed concerns over the challenges confronting the nation’s pharmaceutical industry which he said was hindering access to affordable medicines.
The pharmacist listed poor infrastructural systems, power, transportation, regulatory bottlenecks, importation dependency, and limited research opportunities as major challenges facing the pharmaceutical sector.
He also stressed the need for robust collaborative efforts with institutions like Moniepoint to strengthen the sector.
“As Nigeria continues to grow, improving local pharma manufacturing to meet the demands of this growth presents a key opportunity for us all.
“There is also the African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement, which is expected to boost our industry, especially when we start producing our drugs locally, which will provide the much needed foreign exchange from exports.
“We are also seeing advancements in digital health and technology which would hopefully deepen the practice of e-prescription in Nigeria”, the ACPN boss said.
Corlins Walter
In order to enhance customer service and streamline operations, the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria (CIIN) has called on stakeholders in the insurance industry to embrace Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The President of the institute, Yetunde Ilori, made this call at the 2024 Office Representatives Committee (ORC) Workshop, organised by the institute, with the theme “AI and the Future of the Insurance Industry”, in Lagos.
Ilori at the event, emphasised the importance of AI adoption, noting that it was not a threat to jobs but rather a tool to improve efficiency across the insurance sector.
“It is not about AI taking over our jobs, but about us using AI to simplify processes and give maximum satisfaction to all the customers we serve whether as underwriters, brokers, loss adjusters, or in educating our members”, she said.
The workshop, which brought players in the insurance sector together, aimed to address how AI could be leveraged to transform business processes and improve customer interactions.
The Chairman of the ORC, Monica Nwachukwu, underscored the role of AI in modernising the industry, adding, “AI can automate customer and claims processes, allowing insurers to provide faster and more efficient services to their customers”.
She explained how AI could help extract data from legacy systems, enhancing decision-making processes.
“By integrating AI with APIs, insurers can feed valuable data into AI solutions to improve operations and customer service”, she added.
In his address, the Managing Partner of A4S and Training Heights, Orlando Odejide, stressed the need for companies to align their strategies with future technologies like AI, especially as they prepare for 2025.
“Any organisation that wants to grow into the future must have its strategic plan in place. If your strategy for 2025 is not ready, it should be done by October”, he advised.
He encouraged participants to think critically about how AI could be integrated into their business models to ensure they remain competitive.
“The idea is for you to use this workshop as a platform to think about your organization and how AI can help streamline your processes and improve growth”, Odejide noted.
In order to gain global respect and recognition, the National Space Research and Development Agency (NASRDA) has reaffirmed its determination to pursue its goal in ensuring that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
The agency also reaffirmed its commitment to positioning Nigeria as a key player in the global space economy.
In a statement by the Director of Media and Corporate Communications, Dr. Felix Ale, NASRDA revealed that the Director-General of the agency, Matthew Adepoju, emphasised this during recent engagements at the 79th United Nations General Assembly and the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and Global Alliance Business Association international conference in Michigan, United States.
The statement noted that Adepoju outlined a forward-thinking agenda, stressing the importance of Nigeria’s space programme as a leader in research, exploration, and technological innovation.
“Our goal is to ensure that Nigeria’s space capabilities are recognised on the world stage.
“We must foster collaborations with global space agencies to enhance our satellite capabilities and technological infrastructure”, he stated.
The NASRDA boss said the agency is focusing on enhancing satellite capabilities, expanding international collaborations, and leveraging space science for national development.
He said NASRDA will have no stone unturned in pursuit of excellence, ensuring the agency secures the necessary resources and recognition to propel it forward.
“The relationships we build today will pave the way for tomorrow’s advancements in space science.
“Innovation and progress thrive in an environment built on collaboration and inclusivity”, he stated.
He emphasised that with the support of the government, international partners, and a dedicated team, NASRDA is poised to make significant strides in the evolving global space landscape.
“We are on the brink of a new era for Nigeria’s space agency. Together, we will ensure our nation stands out in the global space economy”, he said.
Corlins Walter
