*A coal miner at work.
31 May 2016, Lagos — President Muhammadu Buhari says the government would soon roll out a master plan for the exploration of the 44 solid minerals identified to be available in commercial quantity in the country.
It is part of efforts to fully develop the solid minerals sector, which the government has declared the new frontier of the nation’s economic development.
According to him, his administration would do everything possible to move Nigeria’s economy away from dependence on crude oil.
He acknowledged that the development of the solid minerals sector, particularly the iron ore sub-sector, would help create more jobs, as well as conserve the over $3 million dollars being expended on the importation of steel into the country.
According to him also, in order to achieve the objective, the government will concentrate on the development of the collapsed infrastructures, such as rail and road transportation, among others.
