Nigeria’s attempt to revitalise its solid minerals sector as part of a broad strategy to lessen its dependence on oil and gas is yet to produce substantial results, with the sector contributing less than 0.15% to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the past five years. The mining of core minerals, such as coal, lead, zinc and gold, experienced no growth at all during this period, according to advisory firm KPMG Nigeria tax, regulatory and people services senior manager Olufemi Babem. He tells Mining Weekly that the “miniscule growth” in solid minerals mining in the Western African country was largely attributable to an increase in quarrying activities by construction companies and the mining of limestone by companies engaged in cement manufacture.
