The office of the past ruler of Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates (UAE), His Royal Highness, Sheikh Hamdan bin Khalifa, has pledged the sum of $2 billion to Nigeria, to support the country’s mines and steel development sector.
Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Uchechukwu Ogah, made the disclosure when he delivered the, “Special Address” at the Dubai World Expo 2021, with the theme “Investment in the Nigerian Gold Sector: Opportunities in the Gold Value Chain” held in Abu Dhabi.
Ogah, in a statement, said the Expo, with participants from over 200 countries, provided the opportunity to showcase the potentials of Nigerian minerals sector on Dubai soil with special emphasis on gold and other precious minerals abundant in Nigeria.
He further stated that the donation, according to Khalifa and Global Peace Ambassador, United Nations, Zulfiquar Ghadiyali, was to further cement the close trade and bilateral relationship that exists between the two countries.
The minister, who was honoured with the “Excellence in Public Service Award,” by FIN-Africa-UAE Trade and Investment Forum Dubai, expressed gratitude to Khalifa over the amount he pledged for Nigeria’s sustainable development drive.
According to him, “I must confess that there cannot be a better platform to showcase the Nigeria Gold sub-sector than on this platform with notable global organisations and investors, minerals beneficiation companies, global financial institutions, commodity trading companies, etc all in one event.”
Ogah reiterated the need for the diversification of the economy, saying it has become more compelling in the post COVID-19 era.
According to him, the federal government has put in place policies that would support sustainable development of Nigeria’s gold resources and development, as well as consideration of general matters on gold Mining Administration and Incentives and that the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was determined to consolidate on the gains of diversification as it forms the critical backbone of industrialisation.
