The Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dele Alake, has announced that mineral sample testing will now be conducted within Nigeria, ending the previous reliance on foreign laboratories. Alake made this statement on Thursday during the commissioning of a state-of-the-art mineral analysis laboratory in Sabon-Wuse, Niger State, built by African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML).
In a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Segun Tomori, Alake praised ANRML’s initiative, emphasizing that it aligns with the federal government’s commitment to promoting local value addition in the mining sector. The minister noted that the laboratory, the first of its kind in Nigeria, is part of the government’s strategy to reposition the mining sector in line with his 7-point agenda.
Alake further stated, “This laboratory is not only in sync with the President’s Renewed Hope Agenda but also contributes to our ministry’s 7-point agenda, where local value addition is a critical component. This internationally certified facility will greatly benefit the sector, handling mineral samples that were previously sent abroad for testing, positioning Nigeria as a key player in global mineral analysis.”
He commended ANRML for its efforts and encouraged the company, which also operates an iron ore mining and processing plant, to continue its investment, promising the Federal Government’s support for projects that create jobs for Nigeria’s youth.
In his remarks, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of ANRML, Alok Gupta, expressed gratitude to the minister for commissioning the laboratory and reaffirmed the company’s commitment to collaborating with the ministry to transform the country’s mining industry. Gupta highlighted that the laboratory, which uses the latest technology, is the only one in Nigeria certified with ISO 7025 by the Canadian Association of Laboratory Abbreviations and other internationally recognized bodies for testing laboratories.
The ANRML laboratory, equipped with advanced WDXRF machines, offers a wide range of geochemical services designed for the exploration and mining industries.
