Business
Mining Sector To Contribute 10% To GDP By 2020 –Minister
The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Mr Musa Sada, has said that the mining sector would contribute up to 10 per cent to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 2020.
The minister stated this Monday in Abuja at the ministry’s media roundtable on the review of the roadmap for the development of the minerals and metals sector.
He said that by 2015, the sector would be expected to contribute five per cent to the GDP.
He lamented that the sector was currently contributing just 0.4 per cent, noting that in the 60s and 70s, the sector used to contribute between five to 12 per cent to the GDP.
Other targets set by the ministry include revitalising the entire steel sector to produce three million tonnes per annum of liquid steel by 2015 and 12.2 million tonnes per annum by 2020.
The ministry also has plans to produce geological maps to cover the entire country by 2020.
He said: “With the development of the roadmap, the ministry was able to increase its contribution to the GDP from N600 million in 2008 to 1.8 billion in April, 2013.”
The minister said that the first phase of the roadmap, which is the short-term programme to make the country a destination for mining investment capital, began in January 2012 and ended in December 2012.
Sada said that the second phase (the medium term programme, which began in January 2013), would include increasing mineral production through effective exploration of mineral resources found in almost all the local government areas and would end in December 2014.
Sada said that the last phase – the long term programme – would include enthroning large scale mining operations by delineating world class mineralised blocks for concession to investors, among others, adding that this was scheduled to begin in 2015 and end in 2020.
The Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mr John Jegede, said that the roadmap would be in tandem with the prevailing government policy.
Said he: “The ministry has decided to develop a roadmap that will chart the path for the resolution of problems and challenges facing the sector.
“The policy makes the private sector the owner and operator of solid minerals and metals projects with government facilitating and providing enabling environment for development of the sector.
Kenya made it a clean sweep at the Berlin Marathon with Sabastian Sawe winning the men’s race and Rosemary Wanjiru triumphing in the women’s.
Sawe finished in two hours, two minutes and 16 seconds to make it three wins in his first three marathons.
The 30-year-old, who was victorious at this year’s London Marathon, set a sizzling pace as he left the field behind and ran much of the race surrounded only by his pacesetters.
Japan’s Akasaki Akira came second after a powerful latter half of the race, finishing almost four minutes behind Sawe, while Ethiopia’s Chimdessa Debele followed in third.
“I did my best and I am happy for this performance,” said Sawe.
“I am so happy for this year. I felt well but you cannot change the weather. Next year will be better.”
Sawe had Kelvin Kiptum’s 2023 world record of 2:00:35 in his sights when he reached halfway in 1:00:12, but faded towards the end.
In the women’s race, Wanjiru sped away from the lead pack after 25 kilometers before finishing in 2:21:05.
Ethiopia’s Dera Dida followed three seconds behind Wanjiru, with Azmera Gebru, also of Ethiopia, coming third in 2:21:29.
Wanjiru’s time was 12 minutes slower than compatriot Ruth Chepng’etich’s world record of 2:09:56, which she set in Chicago in 2024.
