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Ministry Seeks International Recognition For Mining Sector

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The Ministry of Mines and Steel Development says the country’s quest to position the sector will not be achieved except it is recognised by the international mining community as a serious mining destination.
The Minister, Dr Kayode Fayemi made this known at the National Mining Summit and ConMin West Africa tagged; “Unearthing Nigeria’s Mining Sector’’ held in Abuja on Tuesday.
Fayemi said the ministry had enlisted critical stakeholders domestically and globally as enablers to achieve the ministry’s goal to be a mining destination.
The Tide source reports that one of the priority goals of the ministry is to position the mining sector to play a greater role in sustainably diversifying the country’s revenue base, creating jobs and fast-tracking industrialisation.
He said the African Mining Vision (AMV) that was adopted in 2009 during the African Union (AU) summit, which Nigeria domesticated, had helped Nigeria’s mining industry to find its bearing.
According to him, the AMV prescribes integrating mining into industrial and trade policy at regional level to encourage, collaborate and ensure healthy competition among mining countries.
He said the ministry considered it important to have a platform for bringing stakeholders in the sub region together to share ideas and compare notes on how to collaborate and ensure that available resources work for the people.
To this end, he said the ministry collaborated with Afrocet Montgomery, and worked with Deloitte to host the summit in order to take the lead in driving the achievement of the objectives of the AMV collectively and at the country level.
“It  is our vision to use this platform to place Nigeria prominently in the international mining calendar and to beneficially attract greater attention to our country as a Sub-region.
Also speaking, the Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Stock Exchange Mr Oscar Onyema, said the summit would provide a framework for sustainable and enabling environment for the continued growth and development of the mining sector.
Onyema said present statistics on the Nigerian mining sector indicated a tremendous opportunity for growth, as it accounts for 0.02 per cent of exports, 0.3 per cent of national employment and contributes 0.5 per cent an estimated N2 billion to the nation’s GDP.
He said this representation was low compared to global trends for the sector, adding that in 2015, the South African mining industry contributed 19.6 billion dollars toward the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), representing 7.1 per cent of overall GDP.
The NSE chairman said that Australian mining sector on the other hand contributed 114.9 billion dollars to GDP in 2016.
He said globally, the Metals and Mining sector was among the largest sectors, going by the number of companies in operation and its employment size.
“The role of the capital market in harnessing the Nigerian Mining sector’s potential and providing entrepreneurs with access to large, affordable funding for capital intensive projects could not be overemphasise.’’

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TTP Trains Customs Agents, Freight Forwarders On Eto App 

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In a concerted effort to tackle racketeering and reduce inflated transportation costs in the Nigeria’s seaports, Trucks Transit Parks Ltd. (TTP) has trained Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders on the use of its Ètò electronic call-up system.
The training was held recently at Customs Processing Centre (CPC) Auditorium, Apapa, Lagos, in collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and supported by the leadership of the Joint Association of Licensed Customs Agents and Freight Forwarders (JALCAFF), Apapa Command.
Speaking at the event, Comptroller Babatunde Olomu expressed appreciation to TTP for facilitating the training and emphasized the need for customs agents to take personal ownership of the Ètò booking process.
“I want to thank TTP for this impactful training. I encourage all customs agents to begin doing their own bookings directly. By doing so, they can take back power from the unscrupulous elements exploiting their lack of knowledge, selling tickets at highly inflated prices,” Olomu declared.
He noted that empowering agents with hands-on training was key to dismantling racketeering networks that have plagued access to the ports and frustrated efficient logistics processes.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Apapa Chapter of the Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Chief Emeka Chukwumalu, said the engagement was critical to the ongoing push to reduce cargo transportation costs and ease business operations at the Apapa Port.
According to a freight forwarder, “The training is basically for us to have awareness of the operations of the Ètò call-up system through TTP. We also want to brainstorm on ways to reduce the high cost of cargo transportation in Apapa Port.
“This training opened our eyes to how simple it is to book tickets ourselves. We now know the right steps to follow and how to avoid falling victim to fraudsters.”
Earlier, Head of Operations at TTP, Mr. Irabor Akonoman, talked on common misconceptions about ticket pricing, reaffirming that the cost of Ètò bookings had remained consistent since its inception.
“The official price remains the same since inception. What people are paying higher amounts for is the manipulation by racketeers”.

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NECA Holds MSME Fair To Drive Growth 

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Towards strengthening small businesses and promoting a more supportive regulatory environment, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) says it will hold the 2025 edition of its flagship MSMEs Fair on Tuesday (May 6, 2025).
The event, themed, “Galvanising MSMEs for Economic Growth and Stability”, will take place at NECA House in Lagos.
According to NECA’s Director-General, Mr Adewale Smatt Oyerinde, the fair seeks to provide micro, small, and medium enterprises with essential tools, resources, and strategic networks to thrive in Nigeria’s challenging business climate.
He emphasised the vital role MSMEs play in national development, describing them as the “lifeblood of Nigeria’s economy.”
Oyerinde noted that the fair is designed to offer entrepreneurs practical solutions to navigate economic uncertainties, regulatory hurdles, and business scalability issues.
A major attraction of this year’s event is the keynote address by the CEO of FATE Foundation, Mrs. Adenike Adeyemi, a prominent advocate for MSME development.
She is expected to share transformative insights on innovative strategies for sustaining and growing small businesses in Nigeria.
A unique feature of the fair will be interactive sessions with key regulatory bodies. Entrepreneurs will engage directly with agencies responsible for licensing, compliance, taxation, and business registration.
NECA said these sessions aim to demystify bureaucratic processes and foster a more enabling business environment.
It also said the fair will provide a platform for entrepreneurs to exhibit their products and services, connect with potential investors, and explore new markets.
It added that participants would gain critical knowledge on digital transformation, access to finance, and strategies for sustainable business growth.
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· NECA stressed that the fair aligns with its broader mission of promoting enterprise development and economic resilience.
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· “By empowering MSMEs with the right support and information, the organisation aims to stimulate job creation, innovation, and long-term economic stability”, NECA said.
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· The 2025 MSMEs Fair is expected to attract a wide range of stakeholders, including financiers, tech experts, regulators, and industry leaders, all united in advancing the growth of Nigeria’s MSME sector.

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Over 2m Passengers Board Blue Rail Train – Commissioner 

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The Lagos State Commissioner for Transport, Mr Oluwaseun Osiyemi, says over two million passengers have been transported on the Blue Line Rail since its launch, while state-run buses move an average of 42,000 commuters daily.
Osiyemi, who disclosed this during the Year 2025 Ministerial press briefing held at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, Alausa, on Tuesday, noted that the Lagos State Transport Policy, launched in May 2024, was now in its implementation phase, focusing on inclusivity, safety, affordability, and sustainability.
“On rail development, Phase One of the Blue Line (Marina to Mile 2) has served over two million passengers, with Phase Two (Mile 2 to Okokomaiko) in progress.
“Phase One of the Red Line (Agbado to Oyingbo) is now operational with eight stations and additional rolling stocks procured, while Phase two (Oyingbo to link Blue Line at National Theatre) is underway”, he said.
The Commissioner said in the state-owned bus operations, over 60 million commuters have been served since 2019, with daily ridership exceeding 40,000.
He also said plans were on to deploy new buses with Quality Bus Corridors under construction, adding that the Abule=Egba Bus Terminal had also been commissioned.
“For water transport, 15 locally-built Omibus Ferries have been launched and are in operation, with the Ijegun Egba Terminal now open.
“The OMI EKO project, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), will deliver 25 terminals and 78 electric ferries.
“Over 280,000 passengers have used ferry services in the past year, and 12 boats have been upgraded to meet safety standards”, he said.
On road infrastructure and traffic management, the Commissioner said 49 junction improvement projects had been completed, including ongoing ones at Ikorodu, Iju, as well as Allen-Opebi-Toyin axis.
He added that solar-powered Traffic Signal Lights, road markings covering 67.9km, new medians, laybys, and 3,941 parking lots had also been provided.
Additionally, Osiyemi announced that the deployed Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras had detected over 470,000 traffic violations and that the Vehicle Inspection Service issued over one million roadworthiness certificates.
He also said that the Lagos State Drivers’ Institute trained more than 32,000 drivers in the past 13 months.
The event marked the second anniversary of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s second term, showcasing major strides in the transport sector under the THEMES+ agenda.

Nkpemenyie Mcdominic, Lagos

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