FG To Resuscitate NIOMCO After 40 Years

By Georgina Humphrey

The Federal Government has assured Nigerians of its plans to resuscitate the National Iron Ore Company, NIOMCO, after 40 years.

Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, gave this assurance during a tour of the multi-million Dollar Iron Complex In Itakpe, Kogi State.

Audu who lamented that the multi-million Dollar project which is lying waste is a priority of the Tinubu-led administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda and vowed to make it work under his tenure.

“The President making me a pioneer Minister of Ministry of Steel Development certain things have to be done to initiate steel production in Nigeria, i am trying to revive the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the Itakpe Iron Ore Mining Company” Audu added.

“These are multi-billion Dollar facilities we have in Kogi State for the benefit of Nigerians”.

The Minister who recalled that the President promised rolling out thousands of CNG buses that would be powered by gas and distributed to Nigerian workers, said in the Ministry’s 2024 budget, a recommendation for production of the gas cylinders will be made in order for them to be produced in Ajaokuta.

‘Itakpe has a significant role to play in the renewed hope agenda of Mr President. We are going to write a budget and the budget that will be hopefully approved by the National Assembly and ultimately signed by Mr President will have provision to upgrade some of the plants in Itakpe to enable it produce some of the gas cylinders’ components for the CNG buses”, he added.

“What I have seen in Ajaokuta particularly as well as in the iron ore company, components of that gas cylinders for the CNG plant can be made here in Itakpe” the minister stressed.

Earlier in his remarks, the Sole Administrator of the National Iron and Ore Company, NIOMCO, Augustus Nkechika stated that Ajaokuta will not be relevant in the steel market without the National Iron Ore Mining Company.

Nkechika added that infrastructure and technology of the company must be up to date for the Ajaokuta plant to be resuscitated.

“The National Iron Ore Mining Company, Itakpe has been the cornerstone of our steel production and it is imperative that we ensure its infrastructure is up to date.

“A technical audit will help us identify areas for the rehabilitation, improvement, optimisation and ensure that we remain competitive in the global steel market” he added.

Edited By Grace Namiji