Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Uche Gilbert Nnaji, has said that Nigeria has great opportunity to enhance her technological capabilities to leverage on the abundance raw materials and human capital.
Chief Nnaji stated this at a recent meeting with top officials of the AMEL Group in Abuja, to explore the prospects of setting up a state-of-the-art float glass manufacturing pilot plant.
According to him, “This collaboration is promising and is expected to lead to significant advancements in economic development and industrial growth, particularly given the availability of substantial silica sand and soda ash deposits.”
At the meeting, AMEL Group, which has successfully launched similar projects in Egypt and Algeria, was represented by Salah Saleh and Kingsley Obasohan.
He said the proposed pilot plant is expected to extract value from Nigeria’s abundant silica sand and soda ash deposits, creating job opportunities and contributing to the country’s economic growth.
“Silica sand and soda ash are two of the most versatile and widely used natural resources globally. Silica sand, also known as quartz sand, is a primary component in the production of glass, ceramics, and concrete. It is also used in the manufacture of fibreglass, silicon metal and solar panels.
“Conversely, soda ash is a crucial ingredient in the production of glass, paper and detergents. It is also utilized in the manufacture of textiles, pharmaceuticals and food products, with considerable deposits available within Nigeria.
“Several countries and companies have successfully harnessed silica sand and soda ash to produce globally recognized brands. A look into some of these examples may be appropriate.
“First, there’s Saint-Gobain in France, a leading manufacturer of glass that uses these rare earth materials to produce a wide range of products, including flat glass, insulation and abrasives.
“Second, there’s Corning Incorporated in the USA, which specializes in producing glass and ceramics, including fibre optic cables, LCD displays and laboratory equipment, by utilizing silica sand and soda ash.
“Additionally, Tata Chemicals of India and Owens-Illinois in the U.S. are noteworthy examples.
“These global brands demonstrate that it is indeed possible to harness rare earth resources, abundant in Nigeria, to create a broad range of utilitarian products.
“The successful harnessing of silica sand and soda ash has had a significant impact on the economies of countries that have invested in them. For instance, Egypt’s production of glass and ceramics has become a substantial contributor to its economy, with glass product exports netting over USD 100 million annually in recent years.
“The same can be said of Algeria and India. India’s statistics are particularly revealing. With intentional efforts, India’s glass production figures rose to USD 200 million annually.
“In Nigeria, the presence of deposits of these rare earth resources means that the proposed float glass manufacturing pilot plant has the potential to revolutionize industrial growth and significantly impact the economy by creating extensive direct and indirect job opportunities.”
Although the achievements of the Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology (FMIST) under the direction Nnaji have been a bit quiet with these developmental strides, preferring results to speak for themselves, it is clear that they are definitely on a promising path forward.