By SUNDAY ABBA, Abuja
The Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Amb Abhishek Singh has said he will continue to strengthen India-Nigeria trade relations during his service in Nigeria.
Singh stated this when he visited African Natural Resources and Mines Limited (ANRML) one of African Industries Group (AIG) companies on Thursday in Gujeni Village, Kagarko LGA, Kaduna state.
“This particular plant situated at Gujeni Village, Kagarko LGA, Abuja-Kaduna-Zaria Express way, Kaduna state has invested $600 million in Nigeria and is one of the largest enterprises run by Indian industrialists who have been in Nigeria for five (5) decades.
“I express my support to all the Indians working here and urge AIG to continue their efforts in the important mining sector which contributes to further strengthening India-Nigeria trade relations,” he said.
High Commissioner also visited Abuja Steel Mills, Exploration Unit and Solar plant facilities of African Industries Group, one of the largest business entities in Nigeria run by Indian industrialists, situated at Sabon-Wuse, Abuja-Kaduna Express Way, Niger State.
Singh also visited their solar power plant, one of the largest in Nigeria, which caters to their steel plant. He assured of his support to the hundreds of Indian professionals working there and urged them to continue their efforts to promote trade between India and Nigeria in the crucial steel sector.
In his response, the GMD of African Industries Group (AIG), Mr Alok Gupta thanked the Indian High Commissioner Amb Abhishek Singh, for the visit adding that the Nigerian government has been very supportive of all it’s companies at the corporate levels and in terms of its laws over the year’s.
To show their support, Gupta recalled previous high-profile visits and their observations in the last two years.
He stated: “In 2024, the Minister of Steel Development Prince Shuaibu Abubakar Audu visited ANRML and applauded the $600 investment and affirmed ANRML’s role in President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda. Also, the same year, the Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Dele Alake, during his visit, commended ANRML as a model for value addition and declared it a benchmark for the Nigerian mining sector.
Similarly, the Minister of Industry (2024) Doris Uzoka-Anite, hailed ANRML as a cornerstone of Nigeria’s quest for sustainable economic prosperity and alignment with Nigeria Automotive Industry Plan.”
Speaking further, Gupta said ANRML is one of Nigeria’s largest non-oil Foreign Direct Investments (FDI) at over $600 million in an iron ore mining and processing facility,fully integrated beneficiation, pelletizing and Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) plant with waste heat recovery; equipment sourced from four continents.
He said the company employs more than 4000 persons both direct and indirect employment and has a mining Capacity of over 5 million tons per annum; NI 43-101 certified iron ore resources
Gupta said: “Direct Reduced Iron (DRI) produced is a direct, sustainable substitute for ferrous scrap — the current raw material for steel production in Nigeria.
“By supplying DRI domestically, we reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported steel, save hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign exchange, and progressively elevate its status as a major global producer of crude steel.
Again,we have an ultra-modern ISO/IEC 17025 Canadian Association of Laboratory Accreditation (CALA) accredited mineral analysis laboratory in Niger State, promoting local value addition.”
ANRML is the boldest chapter of African Industries Group journey of more than 5 decades in Nigeria. It is a complete, integrated value chain: from iron ore in the ground to high-grade Direct Reduced Iron (DRI), ready to fuel steel production in Nigeria and beyond.