NGSA commissions rigs to boost mining activities

The Minister of State, Mines and Steel Development, Abubakar Bawa Bwari, has commissioned two drilling rigs to facilitate mining exploration in the country.

While commissioning the drilling rigs at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) in Abuja, yesterday, Bwari said they would help in getting data required for the mining sector.

“The main function of the rig is hole drilling to collect geological data because this sector cannot thrive without data and investors will only come to a country where they know that there is bankable data,”he said.

The minister, who revealed that the Federal Executive Council (FEC) approved N360 million for the purchase of the two rigs, said government was determined to give more attention to the mining sector.

The Director-General, Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA), Alex Ndubuisi Nwegbu, said the new rigs have high capacity.

“Most drilling rigs we have are 300/400 meters, but I’m happy to announce that this rig goes as far as 1,500 kilometres down. So, it’s really a high capacity rig. This is one thing that will seriously upscale the exploration activities of the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency.

“This is an avenue for NGSA to generate revenue because a lot of exploration companies are looking for high capacity rigs like this that can go to the depth required to do their quarrying.” Nwegbu said.