‘Nigeria can be an industrial mineral hub’


Prof. Ibrahim Madugu is the Director General, National Metallurgical Development Centre, NDMC, Jos, in this interview Gabriel Ewepu, he expresses optimism that the centre has a strategic role to transform Nigeria into an industrial hub in Africa. Excerpts:
How has your organisation fared since you were appointed Director General, National Metallurgical Development Centre?
National Metallurgical Development Centre, Jos has been in existence since 1973, as a testing laboratory of the defunct Nigerian Steel Development Authority, with the mandate to conduct analysis of raw material for the propose steel plants. The Centre’s scope of activities was broadened by Legal Act No. 50 of 1992, to conduct research and development in all solid mineral and metallurgical processes for the benefit of metals and solid mineral industries in Nigeria.
Since my appointment as the Director General of the Centre, some notable landmark achievements have been made. These are in the areas of installation of new modern ultra-high temperature research and development facilities for iron and steel production, high alloy steel studies, using electrical arc furnace (2 in number). We also have the facility for processing of tin slags for the production of Neobium/Tantalum, while atomic absorption spectrometers were recently purchased, mechanical testing machine (Universal tester) was acquired that has the capacity to test both metals and non-metals.We are almost finishing work in the only existing pilot plant for lead/zinc ore processing in the country, one tonne par batch.
In the area of Research and Development, a number of researches are ongoing including; refractory materials studies (fireclay, dolomite and others). We also havefoundry sand development, solid mineral beneficiation studies (iron ore, cassiterites, barites, and others) of low grade Nigerian ores and minerals, feasibility studies for would-be investors, coal analysis and coke production.
In response to the Federal Government’s clear desire to diversify the country’s mono economic dependence on oil and to develop the solid mineral sector, the Centre has positioned itself to execute its fuller mandate by offering services that are useful for its growth and the nation.
The NMDC is very strategic in the quest to transform Nigeria into an industrialised hub in Africa, what is your opinion in this regard?
As you rightly observed, NMDC is highly strategic in transforming this country into an industrialised hub in Africa, and also can help in repositioning the sector. When the NMDC was set up, the original aim was to help in analysing raw materials for iron and steel production.With the Act No. 50 of 1992, our mandate was embodied to include development and to conduct feasibility studies and proffer solutions to problems in metallurgical development processes and solid minerals.


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