Nigeria’s miners have decried that the country imports 95 percent of the Barite needed in the oil and gas sector despite having huge deposits of the mineral on its land and considering the 2010 Local Content Act.
The Secretary General of the Association of Miners and Processors, Patrick Odiegwu disclosed this at a recent press conference with Journalists in Abuja.
He said it was shameful that despite the commencement of crude oil production in commercial quantities over 50 years ago, the country still relies on Barite importation.
According to him, governments at all levels, especially the state and local governments should do more to harness the opportunities in the Nigerian mining sector.
“Since over 50 years oil and gas have been produced in this country, 95 percent of Barite used in Nigeria are imported. Despite the Local Content Act that was passed in 2010 clearly stating that 60 percent should be locally sourced.
“The state and local government where these minerals abound in their domain should sit up.
“Barite miners should not continue to harvest poverty in Nigeria”, he said.
This comes as the Nigerian government recently announced fees and rate hikes, presumably to harness the country’s $750 billion mining sector potential revenue.
However, operators in the mining sector last week appealed to the federal government to suspend the rate hikes.
Nigeria shamefully imports 95% of barite used locally despite local content – Miners
