By Bimbola Oyesola
ACTIVITIES in Nigeria’s mining sector may lift its Gross Domestic Product, GDP, by 10 per cent in the next five years, if an industry assessment by Pricewater House Coopers Nigeria (PwC) is to be taken seriously.
PwC believes the optimal exploitation of the 44 varieties of minerals in over 500 locations in the country could re-launch Nigeria as a great mining destination.
Mining Sector Leader and Head Consulting at PwC Nigeria, Cyril Azobu, who gave this assurance recently stated that Nigeria’s mining sector could improve GDP growth of the economy if revamped.
“The reduction in global crude oil prices has once again highlighted the need for Nigeria to diversify the revenue base of the economy and we hold strongly that one key sector that offers great potential in achieving this is the solid minerals sector.”
According to the event director, Nicole Smith, the solid minerals sector has been targeted by the previous administration to contribute 5 per cent to GDP by 2015 and 10 per cent to GDP by 2020 but the current contribution of the solid minerals sector to GDP remains about 0.46 per cent.
PwC Nigeria stated that the country’s mining sector presents incredible opportunities for both the private and public sectors, given the country’s vast natural resources and the drop in oil prices.
While noting that the North-Central, North-East and North- West regions are known to have some of the country’s major mineral deposits, he lamented that due to the persistent plague of terrorism and civil unrest, mining activities in these areas has declined.
The solid minerals sector has been targeted by the previous administration to contribute five per cent to GDP by 2015 and 10 per cent to GDP by 2020, but current contribution of the solid minerals sector to GDP averages about 0.46 per cent.
According to the group, it is estimated that about 80 per cent to 85 per cent of current mining activities in Nigeria is through artisanal and small scale mining.
Besides, it stated that most mines in Nigeria are typically green fields, and in the exploratory phase, adding that infrastructure is a key element for the success of the industry.
“There is therefore a need to develop a master plan for roads and rail for federal and states’ adoption,” it stated.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has restated its commitment to ensure internationally accepted standards in the mining industry in the state.
The Director, Human Resources and Administration, Lagos State Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Adeyemi Taofik Fashola, recently conducted on-the-spot assessment of some sand mining sites in the Ajah/ Lekki axis of the state.
By Olabisi Olaleye
NIGERIA’S Communication Technology Minister, Adebayo Shittu, has assured Nigerians that the new Information and Communication Technology blue print to be unveiled this January, would meet the yearnings of all Nigerians and accelerate national development.
The Minister, who spoke in Lagos recently disclosed that every complaints was taken into cognizance and solutions are already being proffered to some of them including poor quality of service.
He however, appealed that Nigerians needed to patronise locally made IT products to promote content development.
He speaks on his mandate as Minister and other industry burning issues.
EXCERPTS:
Minister of Comtech
I never really cared to patronise the industry because I thought ICT was not really my business. I am a lawyer by profession and all I have been engaged in is playing with drama in the court and all over the place. Having been opportune, perhaps by providence to be appointed Minister of Communications Technology, it gave me the opportunity to really come in close contact with industry leaders and that was what brought us together. I have committed myself to the fact that whatever I can do on behalf of the Federal Government through my ministry, I would certainly do it.
I want to assure you that by the grace of God every indigenous OEMs would be further encouraged to play a role at the national level of ICT development. I would not say more than that for now. I want to assure you too that I am not one person who makes empty promises, I am sufficiently energetic, sufficiently dynamic, I am not a procrastinator, so whatever I can do, I would do it within the shortest possible time. I would even go out of my way to encourage banks to invest in pioneering strides because they are doing something one cannot have imagined would be done. What they are doing now is beyond mere mechanised entrepreneurship, for me it’s a patriotic venture.
Patronage
I believe that if I am assisting them and assisting Nigeria, Nigerians have a duty to patronise themselves. Moreso, they are patronising their products now and not asking for lack of quality, because quality of their product is as high as that of any other country. I would just commit myself to saying that whatever collaboration is required, if it requires me to take a memo to the Federal Executive for a formal National Policy evolution in this regard, I would be willing to do it.
Indigenous Original Equipment Manufacturers
I was not in office at that time, and this government was not also in office at that time, but I want to assure you that I have given a first commitment that we would do the needful to ensure that national interest comes first by the grace of God.
Your policy direction
By the grace of God mid- January, I would be addressing the country on the blue print for ICT development in Nigeria. We have been having a lot of input from the stakeholders across the country and from Nigerians in Diaspora. We have setup two days to do a retreat in Kaduna, in January after ,which the blue print would be out, by then everything would be unfolded, so please be patient with us for another three weeks, by then you have the entire perspective. We are all looking at, but certainly be rest assured that you have a new Minister who is passionate about it, you have a new Minister who wants things done the way they ought to be done, with a view to developing optimally the sector generating a lot of employment thereby bringing about training and retraining of potential experts and constituently generating more revenue for Nigeria than in the past. Nigeria had relied solely or virtually on petroleum revenue with the dwindling resources coming in through oil and a lot of people were thinking of mining and agriculture, but for me, I believe that this sector holds the ace. It could become the centerpiece of Nigeria’s economy if we do what is needful, and that needful thing I assure you, I would do it in three weeks when we unfold the entire blue print of our projections.
Quality of service/ unsolicited SMS
I am as much a victim as you are. On one occasion, I sent a text message and I was charged 10 times for one message. Then I complained and nothing happened, so I know and feel the pains that every other person feels. But I want to assure you that the Ministry in collaboration with NCC is taking steps to ensure that we put a stop to that. Remember we have something on our hands now, the MTN saga, we are still going through that, and we don’t want to do things now to give the wrong impression that we are deliberately targeting any a particular operator. Incidentally or ironically MTN is the largest operator and consequently, it is likely to be the largest target of resistance by subscribers who have complaints. We are taking our time and I want to assure you that within the shortest possible time we would unveil our strategies to bring an end to all of these. Over the years, agencies of government have been treating these operators with kid gloves until the new management of NCC came on board. We are taking steps to correct things and this would come out very shortly.
Policy of continuity
Whatever group we have must be part of the National Integrated Agenda for ICT development. We are not doing any showmanship, we are here to do business, and the business is ensuring that we make progress in ICT development in Nigeria. When we talk of change, the Buhari administration concept of change, it’s not about change of personnel alone, it is also about change of policies, change style of practice and regulation. I want to assure your constituency that we would do our best to ensure that Nigeria gets the best from the Ministry. Remember that we have been in this mess for up to 16 years, and we now have a new government in place which for all intent and purposes is sincere with Nigerians. I want to assure you that we are receptive to ideas, there is no monopoly of wisdom either in government or any particular sector. We all have to bring all ideas to blossom and to fertilize these ideas to bring out the best policies for Nigerians. Once that is done, with all the ideas from all stakeholders, you would have in me a driver who would not drive recklessly, a driver who would be passionate in ensuring that the best interest of Nigerians is achieved.
Free market
We would encourage everyone to grow because we are in a free economy. An economy that believes in thriving competition. So, let every interested entrepreneur strive within the system to distinguish itself. The role of government is rarely to provide an enabling environment to all, in order that these ideas can blossom. Whatever other encouragement that is required, we will approach as a government and whatever we can do, within the spirit of free market economy, we will do it to encourage the SMEs.
Social Media Bill
Honestly, I have not read the bill, and I don’t know what it contains, but as a lawyer I can tell you that there is no human activity that can be left completely uncontrolled. The business of government is to balance between different forces, you have your right to talk. Your right must be limited to the maintenance and sustenance of my integrity, the fact that you have your right does not mean that you can be unpleasant , government comes in to say that there must be a law, and social media is just evolving, I am sure it’s not up to 20 years old in Nigeria. It’s just a new phenomenon, and because it is new there have not been previous regulations. There must certainly be regulations for whatever you do. As primary as it is government has marriage laws, for every human activity in organised societies there must be regulation to guide human activities, otherwise some people would trample on other people’s right and liberties.
Understanding Nigeria’s ICT sector
When I came in, I was conscious of the fact that I was a complete illiterate in the field or a complete migrant into ICT. Since I came in, I have attended almost 10 workshops or conferences; I have also been innovated with ideas and briefs by experts in the field. I am learning very fast and also have the good fortune of having some of my aides being experts in the field. The good thing is you need a neutral person to organise and to provide free atmosphere for all of us. You listen to all sides and take the best, for me. I think it’s a blessing that I am not limited by prejudice of one sector or the other. I am completely free and neutral like a judge. I am in the position to make the best judgement on issues that arise in the industry.
Blue print
I think these are internal matters that should really not concern you. I believe that at my level, if I say that there would be a blue print, that blue print would not fall from heaven, I also told you I have received a lot of inputs from stakeholders, all these would be finally galvanised in a two day retreat, which is being planned. I want to assure you that we are doing our best, because my integrity is also at stake. I have a duty to make sure that the best comes out. Rest assured that irrespective of the mechanism that we adopt, what is important is that by the grace of God, we will have something that would meet the yearnings of Nigerians as regards to ICT, telecoms and even NIPOST. For instance, in NIPOST we are thinking of a number of measures, part of which may include commercialisation and privatisation. In the last few days, we came out with an advert on NIPOST asking people to apply for the position of Postmaster General, this is the first time in the history of Nigeria because usually in the past if someone retires, the next person takes over and all of that and you have all the bureaucracy and all the limitations. But now we are looking for business minded and articulate people who can expand the frontier of postal services, bringing fresh ideas and involved in commercially successful NIPOST enterprise. These are some of the things we are doing. I want to give my utmost assurance that in three weeks, Nigerians would know what we have for them and I want to assure you that by the time it comes out we would be happy.
Blue print and Broadband
There is a difference between blue print and broadband, what I talked of is the blue print. Whatever would happen with regards to broadband issue would be captured in the blue print. We are not limited to whatever the past administration may have said or not said on the issue of broadband penetration. What is important is that we would do the best to ensure that we leap-frog the process to bring about real change in the ICT industry.
Ministerial Advisory Council
One of the measures is to setup a ministerial advisory council for the ICT industry where everybody that matters would be represented on the advisory board or committee, whichever way we choose to eventually call it. Through that platform we would try to bring about proper harmonisation, we would try to bring about amity among operators. We may not be realistic to expect all industry stakeholders to be cocooned into just one organisation, but what is important is that they would have a neutral umpire who would be prepared to deal with all of them on an equal footing.
MTN, NCC and rule of law
As a lawyer, I respect the rule of law because I understand it. The rule of law says that whenever parties have subjected themselves to the jurisdiction of the court: one, you don’t engage yourself, two, you don’t act contemptuously of the court, three, you don’t act in a way that would undermine the authority of the court. So having regard to these things, we would say that we would await patiently the outcome of the determination of the court.