Mining: NGSA Uploads Geoscience Data Online For Prospective Investors
By ABAH ADAH, Abuja
The Nigerian Geological Survey Agency (NGSA) has uploaded credible geosciences data on its web portal for real time and easy access by willing investors, both local and international.
Director-General of the Agency Professor Olusegun Omoniyi Ige made this known at a press conference in Abuja on Tuesday, according to a statement obtained by our correspondent.
Ige urged the prospective local and international investors as well as others stake holders and the general public to visit the web portal of the agency at (www.ngsa.gov.ng) for highly resourceful geoscience data on Nigeria.
The NGSA boss according to the source, commended the World Bank-assisted Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) project for its immense contribution to the effort of government in providing geoscience data on minerals in the country.
The Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification (MinDiver) Project, launched way back in 2017 was officially handed over to the ministries of Solid Minerals and Steel Development in a formal ceremony held at the ministries’ headquarters recently in Abuja.
He said the upload of the geoscience data on its portal was in line with the mandate of NGSA which is to provide credible geoscience data (otherwise known as geological information on minerals) in Nigeria, assuring that the information is accessible online at the data stockroom of the National Geodata Development Centre (NGDC) of the NGSA.
“In uploading geosciences data to the online stockroom of the National Geodata Development Centre (NGDC) of the NGSA, we placed premium on the geoscience data generated through the World Bank-assisted Mineral Sector Support for Economic Diversification,” he noted, adding that it included geophysical data, geochemical data and topographical data.
He however pointed out that the National Geodata Development Centre does not only accommodate the geosciences data generated through the MinDiver support, but also serves as a dedicated platform where the “agency archives all its geosciences data, including the data generated before the current time, and data that will be generated later.”
Noting that the agency had presented the mineral datasets to relevant institutional stakeholders including World Bank officials, Prof Ige expressed delight that the stakeholders applauded the integrity of the data.
According to him, the agency put into consideration best practices guiding the generation of geosciences data.
The Director General assured that in line with the mandate of the agency, it will place reliable information on solid minerals in Nigeria at the finger tip of inquirers in Nigeria and around the world, reiterating that they are however enjoined to access relevant information through the website of the agency.
The NGSA boss commended the various stakeholders supporting Nigeria in its bid to develop geosciences data.