NewStats: 3,259,449 , 8,170,133 topics. Date: Sunday, 25 May 2025 at 03:39 AM 5l493w

By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja

The Minister of Mines and Steel Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi has said Nigeria exports over $3 billion worth of gems annually.

This is even as he lamented that the local mining industry for gems remains at its primitive level of shovel and digger.

The Minister stated this in his welcome address at the Africa Gems and Jewellery Exhibition and Seminar (AGJES) 2017 Exhibition and Seminar created by Mina Stones,with theme Mines to Market,in Abuja Thursday.

Mina Gem and luxury Jewellery company was founded by Lotanna Amina Egwuatu)

According to Fayemi “In past years, the gemstone sector had largely been a vehicle for money laundering, with the average dollar value of Nigerian gems exported put at over $3 billion dollars annually.

He said “The local mining industry for gems remained at its primitive level of shovel and digger and Nigeria’s vast untapped gemstone resource was not being optimally exploited for the benefit of Nigerians.

Dr Fayemi said the essence of the AGJES is to bring stakeholders together to discuss how to grow this specific segment of the mining industry, noting that the Roap identifies Gemstones among the nation’s diverse mineral resources as high value commodities that have the potential of significantly contributing to priority goals of Economic Diversification, Wealth Creation and Jobs Creation.

He noted that Gemstone is a more extensive value chain with relatively lower risk profile, noting that in spite of the huge potentials in gemstone mining, phenomenal loss of revenue and damage to the environment remain major causes of concern due to the uniqueness of the occurrence of gem deposits and the quantity to value per quantity advantage of gemstones which make illegal activities and smuggling rampant, thus the inability of the sector to deliver on expected economic outcomes.

Dr Fayemi assured that the goal of their reforms have been to ensure proper organisation of the gemstone sector from prospecting, to exploration, to mining, processing and marketing of gemstones in Nigeria; with emphasis on regularising the activities of the artisans who mostly engage in it.

“Our strategic policy thrust have been centered around a number of objectives including centralising all gemstone sector activities, ensuring transparency, halting personal exports of minerals which have, hitherto, abetted smuggling and other sharp practices ensure accurate records of sources of gemstones (state of origin), ensuring due process, in line with international best practice, in our gemstone mining and marketing activities and ensuring artisans and dealers get good prices for their gemstones in Nigeria.

Presenting the keynote wife of the Vice President, Mrs Dolapo Osinbajo said Nigeria was richly endowed with remarkable gems including Sapphires,tourmaline ,aquamarine, emeralds,garnets, topaz, amethyst and Gold spread across various states and much more yet to be discovered.

She noted that 80% of colored stones supplied comes from Artisanal and Small-scale Miners(ASM).

Speaking earlier, Co convener of AGJES Lotanna Egwuatu said “the Nigerian Gemstone industry has not been able to convert the abundance of natural gemstone resources into foreign exchange earnings,adding that the traction in the industry was further compounded by loss of creative talent in the Jewelry industry

Source: http://leadership.ng/2017/10/19/nigeria-exports-3bn-worth-gems-annually-fayemi/

Front Page: Lalasticlala

The North is really cheating itself all these years it's terrible. 3 billion dollars laundered away. Anyway this a golden opportunity if they can get this into out of black/grey market. I would say use tax revenue to improve work force capacity, invest in universities and public services.

Blue3k:
The North is really cheating itself all these years it's terrible. 3 billion dollars laundered away.

These gems are not exclusive to the north, but the entire country.

Though the largest percentage are concentrated in the Northern part, abundant in Kaduna and Nasarawa states.
There are still considerable quantities in the south western states (Osun and Oyo majorly).

Is it that no revenue earning resources can ever come from the mud?

Tolexander:
These gems are not exclusive to the north, but the entire country.

Though the largest percentage are concentrated in the Northern part, abundant in Kaduna and Nasarawa states.
There are still considerable quantities in the south western states (Osun and Oyo majorly).

Didn't reading about SW but had a look to see mining charts there's a lititle bit aquamarine and tourmaline. I didn't see anything produced for Osun but you're speaking geologically. Then graph from federal government biggest concentration north like you said. Gems in NE and Gold belt NW and NC.

I did see the charts mention potential for gemstones in SW multiple states including ekiti. Im sure there's more discoveries to be made.

MAJOR GEMSTONES IN NIGERIA AND THEIR SOURCES:

1. TOURMALINE:
Tourmaline is the most popular, most colorful and most available gemstone in Nigeria. Nigerian’s Tourmaline is of wide variety of colors: red, pink, green, blue, white, bi-color, tri-color, watermelon, and Paraiba Tourmaline etc.
Sources: Nasarawa State (Keffi, Saura, Anngwan Mayo, Garaku, Gidan Kadiri, Anngwan Tudu, Anngwan Doka, Kokona, Jaammar, Anngwan Lele, Nike, etc.) Oyo State (Idoko, Komu, Itasa, Budo Are etc.), Kaduna Satate (Kagarko, Gidan Waya etc.), Kwara State (Lemo Ndeji, Ora, Oro etc). Kogi, Taraba, Bauchi and Osun States.

2. SAPPHIRE:
Sapphire is the most precious, valuable and costly blue Gemstone. Nigeria’s Sapphires are of top grade quality, colors and can fetch up to $10,000 per gram in the International market. (Un-polished).
Sources: Mambila Plateau in Taraba State, Kaduna State (Antah, Nisama, Gidan waya) Bogoro in Bauchi State, Bokkos in Plateau State, and Gunda in Yobe State. The quality ranges from rich indigo blue, fine pencil-shaped crystals with rich blue color to pale green and colorless varieties.

3. AQUAMARINE:
Aquamarine is the green-blue to blue variety of the mineral beryl. Nigeria has large deposit of Aquamarine of top grade quality which commands high price in the International market
Sources: Akwanga, Nasarawa, Jenta, Igwo, Agwada in Nasarawa State. Ibadan in Oyo State; Ijebu Igbo and Igbo Ora in Ogun State; Okene and Isanlu in Kogi state and many parts of Jos Plateau State.

4. EMERALD:
Emerald, the bright green Gem of the beryl mineral family is another Gem found in large quantity in Nigeria.
Sources: Gwantu in Kaduna State and Nasarawa Egon in Nasarawa State.


5. GARNET:
Garnet of different varieties has been found in different part of Nigeria. Rhodolite Garnet is minded extensively around Jos-Bauchi axis. A recent find of Sperssatite Garnet in the Komu area of Oyo State has produced very good gems with colors varying from deep red through orange-brown to orange colors. There has been a report of green tsavorite Garnet in the mix, which was thought to be Tourmaline.

6. ZIRCON:
Zircon is another Gem material commonly found in the tin fields of the Jos Plateau. The stones come in colorless, brown, red, pink, yellow, and white colors, and are usually very clean. It is available in commercial quantities in Antah and Nisama in Kaduna State. Beautiful crystals of Kunzite Zircons have been found in Komu mines in Oyo State. Nigeria’s Zircons respond to heat treatment producing very attractive colors. It can be used in place of Diamond because of its hardness and color.

7. TOPAZ:
Topaz is a well-known Gemstone sold in a wide variety of attractive colors, but the most available colors in Nigeria are the white and blue colors. Nigeria is one of the major sources of white Topaz to the International Gem Market. White Topaz is so abundant in Nigeria that it can be sourced in tons. There are large deposits of Topaz in Jenta and Akwanga in Nasarawa State, Jos in Plateau State, Koi in the Nok area and in many parts of Bauchi and Oyo States. etc. Nigeria's Topaz is also used as a substitute to Diamond because of the sharp color.


8. AMETHYST:
Amethyst is the most popular purple Gem. Nigeria’s Amethyst is of very high quality and occurs in large quantities. Amethyst is being mined in Bauchi, Kaduna, Kano, Oyo, Nasawara etc.

9. OTHERS:
Other gemstones found in Nigeria are Ruby, Arget, Opal, Tanzanite, Morganite, Goshenite, Heliodort, and Kunzite. These gemstones are still being researched to determine reserve estimates. Claims of the existence of Diamond is also being investigated.


SOURCE:
http://gemstonenews247..com.ng/

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2010/12/nigeria-international-gemstone-centre-for-ibadan/

http://thenationonlineng.net/ibadan-jos-now-gemstones-centres/

python1:
Is it that no revenue earning resources can ever come from the mud?

Stop being ignorant. Mud states are the largest producers of Abiama cement in the country

The Abiama Cement plant in Nnewi, Anambra, is the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa with 10.25mmtpa capacity across three lines and a further 3mmtpa capacity is currently being built.

Jetleeee:


Stop being ignorant. Mud states are the largest producers of Abiama cement in the country

The Abiama Cement plant in Nnewi, Anambra, is the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa with 10.25mmtpa capacity across three lines and a further 3mmtpa capacity is currently being built.

You don't mean it.

python1:

You don't mean it.

I ain't lying bro

Jetleeee:


I ain't lying bro

Choi, Now I know better. Mud is not barren afterall.

Jetleeee:

I ain't lying bro
]

python1:
Is it that no revenue earning resources can ever come from the mud?

Python1 see their revenue earning resources here, jetleeee will laugh at you now.

python1:
Now I know better. Mud is not barren afterall.

I am coming

JideAmuGiaka:

Why are you quoting everyone

Blue3k:


Source: http://leadership.ng/2017/10/19/nigeria-exports-3bn-worth-gems-annually-fayemi/

Front Page: Lalasticlala

Then, what are we doing in recession?!

Rmxr:


Why are you quoting everyone

Don't mind jetleeee and python1, you know what...?

JideAmuGiaka:



Python1 see their revenue earning resources here, jetleeee will laugh at you now.

Lame.

python1:
Lame.

[quote author=JideAmuGiaka post=61652862][/quote]
What's this thing saying?

python1:

What are they saying?

What they are saying concerning your condition and that of jetleeee is that......

JideAmuGiaka:



What they are saying concerning your condition and that of jetleeee is that......

You are still missing the point. I said "LAME", don't you understand what that means?

python1:

You are still missing the point. I said "LAME", don't you understand what that means?

I am not interested in your second name.

JideAmuGiaka:



I am not interested in your second name.

Okay, stop quoting me then. Is an English word though, not a name. Abi you never hear the word before?

python1:
Okay, stop quoting me then. Is an English word though, not a name.

I will continue quoting you till you stop derailing threads.

JideAmuGiaka:


I will continue quoting you till you stop derailing threads.

Okay.

What's wrong with these guys above?

Where has the money been going.

I wonder what all the money is been used for

For scholarships, schools ission, visa processing, etc to study in any country visit http://arrhem..com

igbodefender:
Then, what are we doing in recession?!

The vast majority is done illegally. That's why I feel states cheat themselves.

WeirdoNg:
What's wrong with these guys above?

Dumb tribal banter. Python1 was made exclusively for trolling about IPOB which why 90% what he says is about them even if they are present. They're always on their mind.

Blue3k:


The vast majority is done illegally. That's why I feel states cheat themselves.

So true. States can exponentially increase Internally Generated Revenue by plugging the loopholes in this sector. This is one form of restructuring I .

Jetleeee:


Stop being ignorant. Mud states are the largest producers of Abiama cement in the country

The Abiama Cement plant in Nnewi, Anambra, is the largest in Sub-Saharan Africa with 10.25mmtpa capacity across three lines and a further 3mmtpa capacity is currently being built.