Nigerian firm emerges top at African Mining Indaba

ANigerian gold mining firm, Thor Exploration Limited (also known as Segilola), operating in Osun State is winner of the 2018 Investment Battlefield for their gold exploration project in the South west state.

The company was selected as the most promising of the 22 junior mining companies that contested. It beat Algold Resources, a Mauritanian gold explorer and developing company which came second.

The company’s CEO, Segun Lawson, accepted the award after pitching the project to a panel of judges comprising leading analysts and investors, Wednesday night in Cape Town, South Africa.

The award came just as Nigeria was named among the top ten mining designations for 2019.

The company, which has considerable interest in some West African countries is also listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Thor’s flagship asset is its 100 per cent owned Segilola Gold Project in Osun State.

Thor has been developing the Segilola Gold Project since it acquired it 15 months ago and aims to break ground this year by commencing construction.

The Segilola Gold Project was presented by Thor to a number of investor panels at the 2018 Mining Indaba in the extremely competitive Investor Battlefield Competition which ran over three days. Thor and Segilola emerged victorious over all participants with Segilola being declared the ‘Best Emerging Mining Project in Africa.’

“The economic robustness of the project, the progressive Mining Code of Nigeria and the regulatory framework of the Ministry of Mines and Steel Development as well as the potential to increase its size through further exploration were the key critical factors considered by the panel,” said Lawson.

Head of Nigerian delegation to the conference and Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who hailed the developments, said the various reforms being put in place by government were designed to create enabling environment for thriving mining activities.

“We are looking forward to more cheery news of great exploits. We want to be a big mining destination, in addition to our dual mandate of job creation and economic growth,” he added.

General Manager, Global Business Report, Alice Pascoletti, said Nigeria’s inclusion among the top mining destinations for 2019, was premised on factors such as legal and regulatory framework, ease of doing business, risk profile as well as experiences of operators in the country.