By Marie-Therese Nanlong

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Olamilekan Adegbite has reiterated the need for the nation to invest in research and technology to ensure the optimal use of the nation’s rich resources rather than exporting them in the raw forms.

Adegbite also tasks citizens on the need to be patriotic especially at the nation’s borders to curb the illegal movement of raw materials out of the country.

He spoke in Jos on Friday while on a working visit to the National Metallurgical Development Centre, NMDC.

Speaking shortly after taking a tour of the facilities at the Centre, he stated, “I am very impressed with what I have seen, any nation that wants to make progress technologically must have its steel production, without this centre, Nigeria cannot make it and you can see a lot has been done here, much more needs to be done.

“There is an MoU that was signed with DICON, this would not have come about if not for the COVID-19 that disrupted transportation and supply, DICON found what they have been importing from China is in Nigeria here, in Jos, even of a better grade.

“I will try my best with my colleagues in the Ministry to get the remaining funds for them to be at that level that they don’t just serve DICON but the country as a whole.”

Earlier, the Director-General/Chief Executive of NMDC, Professor Linus Asuquo highlighted the Centre’s achievements and presented its challenges to have them solved.

He said, “NMDC is one of the key agencies in the minerals and metals sector and its activities are crucial in value addition and development of the process in the entire mineral processing chain, from exploration to extraction and fabrication.

“… As a result of heavy rainstorms over the years, several laboratories and workshops had been threatened by erosion putting at risk several research equipment and facilities costing hundreds of millions of naira.  The release of funds enabled the construction of a control system that checked that menace and secured these facilities.

“Many laboratories and workshops were built when NMDC was established in 1973 and had become dilapidated. Their roofings were made of asbestos materials which are very hazardous and cancerous.

“…no less than seven laboratories, workshops, and the Centre’s clinic were re-designed and rehabilitated to world-class standard by the Mineral Sector Support Fund for Economic Diversification…

“The only Scanning Electron Microscope, SEM the Centre had was obsolete and non-functional since the ’80s.  As a result, the Centre had been resorting to outdated methods and low-power microscopes in its microstructural analysis work. The Centre has now acquired new, state-of-the-art replacements.

“These equipment enhance the Centre’s capacity for mineral identification, processing, metallurgical research and analysis and the conduct of forensic science.” 

He added, “NMDC and DICON, signed an MoU on the 1st of December 2020 to collaborate to enable local production of materials for the manufacture of armaments for the Nigerian armed forces.

“The need came to the fore as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic which saw economic activities such as manufacturing and transportation – land, sea, and air grounding to a halt.

“The need is again highlighted as a result of the Russian war with Ukraine which is already seeing a spike in the prices of steel and other metals in Nigeria.

“Significant progress has been recorded, a lot remains to be done for us to succeed in the implementation of the MoU with DICON and other R&D works for the diversification of the economy.

“Provision of additional critical equipment to operationalize the EAFs for the work on steels; testing and commissioning of the Lead Smelting Pilot plant, acquisition of the capacity to conduct research in the production of Brasses and other non-ferrous metals; enhancement of capacity for mineral beneficiation studies.”

Professor Asuquo appealed for continued assistance for the Centre to “not only contribute to the government’s objective of transforming the minerals and metals sector into major contributors to GDP, poverty eradication, wealth creation, and revenue generation but also rely on itself to fund its expenses and research works.”