Joel Ajayi 

The Nigerian Mining Cadastre Office (MCO) has emphasized that enhanced synergy within the ECOWAS region will significantly boost investment opportunities in the mining sector.

The Director-General of the MCO, Mr. Obadiah Nkom, made this known during a high-level visit by an ECOWAS delegation to the organisation on Friday in Abuja.

The delegation, led by Mr. William Baidoe-Ansah, Director of the ECOWAS Directorate of Mining and Geo-Extractives Development, comprised technical experts and national representatives. They were in Nigeria to finalise frameworks for a regional Geo-Extractive Observatory and Mining Cadastral System.

Nkom expressed optimism that regional collaboration would enable access to harmonised and verifiable data through Geographic Information System (GIS) platforms.

“The essence of the member states coming together is to ensure they have a platform that makes it easier for investors to come into the ECOWAS region and invest,” he said.

He described the visit as a welcome development, underscoring its significance in fostering regional growth and creating a more investor-friendly environment.

According to him, reforms in Nigeria’s mining sector — especially the transition to the Electronic Mining Cadastre Plus (EMC+) system in 2022 — reflect the country’s commitment to repositioning the sector and strengthening investor confidence.

Nkom noted that ongoing efforts to sanitise the mining industry, as championed by the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Dele Alake, have already yielded tangible results.

Mr. Baidoe-Ansah stated that the mission was aimed at assessing Nigeria’s progress as a benchmark for the regional cadastral system integration.

He noted that the initial feasibility study confirmed the viability of establishing a regional geo-extractive observatory.

“We have moved beyond theory. The first feasibility report confirmed the possibility of a regional geo-extractive observatory. This second phase is about ensuring that each member state meets the baseline operational standards before full integration,” he explained.

He further commended Nigeria’s EMC+ system, which he described as transparent, accessible, and a model worthy of emulation across the region.
Also speaking, Mr. Madu Hassan Fika, Chief Geologist at Nigeria’s Ministry of Petroleum, lauded the EMC+ as a model of digital excellence and transparency in West Africa’s extractive sector.

He said the proposed regional observatory and cadastral system would provide a one-stop shop for the entire region’s mining data and licensing framework.

Other delegates stressed the importance of harmonising operational standards across ECOWAS member states to enhance regional performance and boost investor confidence. They also praised Nigeria’s strides in digitising its mining sector operations.

Share on Facebook

Tweet

Follow us

Share

Share

Share

Share

Share