Stakeholders have canvassed the need to open up the potential in the mining sector, through networking and development of ideas.
To allow for deliberations on the needs and opportunities available within the sector, experts and key players in the Nigerian mining industry gathered for the inaugural Infrastructure Partnerships for African Development (iPAD) Nigeria Mining Forum, which was organized in partnership with PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC).
The forum, which took place at the Transcorp Hilton, Abuja, is part of consolidated efforts to unlock opportunities within the solid minerals sector in Nigeria, and bring together stakeholders within the industry – investors, mining operators, finance houses, multilateral investors as well as technology solution providers to discuss issues that are prevalent within the solid minerals industry.
According to Cyril Azobu, partner, Head Consulting and Mining Industry Leader, PwC Nigeria, “We thought of creating an avenue where we will have all the stakeholders gathered, because really, to be able to stimulate that kind of sector development there has to be a concerted effort. So, we got everyone into a room and had them talk about the issues and what the problems were and how we will jointly move this major sector forward. What makes this more exciting is that we have an administration that seems to be very keen on developing the sector.”
The Minister of State for Solid Minerals, Bawa Buhari formally declared the conference open, and he expressed his confidence in the necessity for such initiatives, saying “We have the potential, we have the people, we have a country that is ready, we have a country that is expecting a lot from us and that we cannot afford to fail this time around. We need your support and we need events like this that will help call us to action”.
Nicole L. Smith, event director, Spintelligent, Cape Town – based organisers of the event, opined that partnering with PwC in Nigeria has enabled a synergy of both organisations’ expertise.
Talking further on the main essence of the forum, Smith said, “The objectives of the iPAD Nigeria Mining Forum in partnership with PwC are many, but the main one will be to ensure that the solid minerals sector of Nigeria is back on the map. And this forum becomes an instigator at ensuring that Nigeria once again becomes synonymous and recognized for its mineral potentials and the opportunities that are available in the mining sector to drive the country’s social and economic growth.
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