Economic diversification: Mining stakeholders back EMC+

STAKEHOLDERS in Nigeria's mining sector have backed the Electronic Mining Cadastre Plus ( EMC+), stating that the online application is key for diversifying the economy.

Speaking recently at the unveiling of EMC+ that coincided with the 6th edition of Nigeria Mining Week, operators in the mining sector recalled that Nigeria is endowed with 44 solid minerals.

They boasted of vast deposits of such minerals as barites, iron ore, copper, manganese, coal, limestone, bitumen, gold, lead- zinc, graphite and rock salt; and believed that effective harnessing of the minerals will raise the revenue base of the country beside oil.

At the event was the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, who stated that the deployment of a digital application at the Mining Cadastre office in Abuja, and its offices in the six geo- political zones of the country for the grant and administration of mining titles was the right step towards the escalation of geological information gathering, storage and dissemination of data in the country.

"This has led to increased mineral fields across the country and the issuance of exploration licenses to miners. We must also appreciate the return of the geological data generated in Nigeria during the pre- independence era by the British Geological Survey Agency.

"The availability of the data in the recently established National Geo- data Center at the Nigerian Geological Survey Agency is a big boost to the sector. The organisation of informal miners into productive work groups is another landmark activity."

In his remarks, the Director General, Mining Cadastre Office, Engineer Simon O . Nkom, explained that EMC+ online platform will grant access to all existing in vestors and prospective ones from any part of the world to its information mandate.

He added that the EMC+ will make it easy to do business in the country's mining sector.

He observed that from 2019 till date, the agency had 86 per cent increase in revenue, stressing that the EMC+ will add adequate val ue and rev - enue to the mining sectors. Nkom said: "The mandate of the Nigerian mining cadastre is administration and management of mineral titles. So , we must be able to do that in the best way possible.

At the end of the day , it becomes more effective, efficient, easily usable and at the same time, y ou find out that when you can simply use your phone or laptop to do the business rather than spending so much on transportation.