Ministers brief Tinubu on $10bn investment prospects in steel sector

President Bola Tinubu has held a meeting with the Minister of Steel Development, Shuaibu Abubakar Audu, and the Minister of Defence, Mohammed Badaru, during which he received a briefing on investment prospects in the steel sector.

Tinubu, during a meeting with the ministers at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Thursday, January 11, emphasised that a revitalized steel development industry is both a catalyst for robust economic growth and a doorway to immense opportunities for Nigeria’s massive pool of talented entrepreneurs.

The president said: “We will remain unyielding in our determination to build a Nigeria where every citizen has an equal opportunity to prosper and achieve their dreams. New investments in steel production will spur the growth of so many sectors.

“Industrialisation will be a reality in our country with sufficient energy and steel. Nigerian steel will undergird our economy and other economies in our region in future years.

“I am glad that members of my cabinet have adopted my approach to attracting new investments and job opportunities for our people. Hard work is the only true pathway. We will not relent.”

The ministers, according to a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Ajuri Ngelale, informed President Tinubu of their discussions with a Chinese company, Luan Steel Holding Group, to build a new steel plant in Nigeria, as well as to commence the production of military hardware in Ajaokuta Steel Plant.

A delegation led by the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Steel Development had visited Hefei and Guangzhou regions of China to hold business talks with the Chairman of Luan Steel Holding Group, Wang Jianbing; the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Xiao Weizhan, and other senior executives of the Luan Steel Holding Group.

The Chinese company is expected to invest billions of dollars in Nigeria to build the new steel plant.

According to Ngelale, the Minister of Steel Development briefed Tinubu, following his approval to restart the Light Steel Mill (LSM) section of Ajaokuta Steel Complex for the production of iron rods, on the progress made on restarting the section, which will cost N35 billion at the first stage.

The minister said several financial institutions had already provided offer letters for this transaction and that the project is expected to create up to 5,000 direct and indirect jobs for Nigerians.

Audu also informed the president of discussions with the representatives of Jindal Steel Group of India.

According to him, Jindal Steel Group had indicated interest in investing up to $5 billion in a new steel plant in Nigeria on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in New Delhi, India, in September 2023, and is now considering to either acquire existing plants or set up greenfield plants.

“Upon the completion of these deals, about $10 billion worth of new investments in both new and existing steel plants in Nigeria will be established, which will create over 500,000 direct and indirect jobs in the steel industry in line with President Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda for massive job creation through industrialisation,” the minister added.

The Star