Nigeria Plans
One-Stop Gemstone Market
The
Nigerian government has said that a one-stop gemstone market for
producers and buyers would be established to facilitate conduct
of businesses in the sector.
Mrs. Diezani Allison-Maduekwe, the Minister of Mines and Steel
Development, said in an interview, that this would improve the
sale of the resource, ’which has been largely informal and
uncoordinated’.
Mrs. Allison-Maduekwe, who said the gemstone sub-sector
accounted for 80 per cent of the country’s artisanal and small
scale mining, stressed the need for its formalisation given its
economic potential.
She also said the industry was capable of providing more than 13
million jobs if the business was well coordinated to contribute
to wealth creation, in line with President Umaru Yar'Adua’s
seven-point agenda.
According to her, ’’Nigerian gemstones have natural imperfection
that make them more attractive to both local and foreign
consumers…its various shapes, colours and grades also attract a
number of Chinese companies, especially in gold exploration.’’
Exhibition
The minister said Nigeria’s gemstone would be launched in
the United States next year.
’’The launching will be done in Hollywood in front of world
stars and the idea is to capture and divert their interest to
the pristine gemstones we have in Nigeria and to create ripples
around the world.’’
Allison-Maduekwe said that the ministry had carried out a
baseline study of the nation’s gemstone industry and was
training local producers on modern gem testing and processing
techniques ahead of the proposed exhibition.
’’It is indeed intended to draw the world to the fantastic
quality and array of Nigerian gemstones as it would attract the
interest of designers, marketers and buyers to the quality and
diversity of the gemstones in Nigeria,’’ she said.
“Nigerian born international jewellery designer, Chris Aire,
whose clients include the most elite Hollywood actors and
actresses, has agreed to debut a line of jewellery using purely
Nigerian gemstones,” she explained.
NAN/Yinka
